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A    MEMOIR 


REV.  HENRY  MARTYN,  B.  D. 

LATE   FELLOW   OF   ST.   JOHN'S    COLLEGE,   CAMBRIDGE, 

AND    CHAPLAIN  TO   THE   HONORABLE 

EAST   INDIA    COMPANY. 


BY  REV.  JOHN  SARGENT,  M.A. 

RECTOR   OF   LAVINGTON. 


FROM    THE    TENTH    LONDON    EDITION, 

CORRECTED  AND  ENLARGED. 


'And  for  my  name's  sake  hast  labored,  and  hast  not  fainted."   Rev.2  ■  3 


PUBLISHED  BY  TOE 

AMERICAN    TRACT    SOCIETY 

150  NASSAU-STREET,  NEW-YORK. 


D.  Fanshaw,  Printer. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Early  Life  of  Henry  Marty  n — Successful  academical 
career — Religious  impressions,  ^<$&r     .        .    Page 

CHAPTER  II. 
Advancement   in   piety — Success    in    college — Tour 
through  Wales  to  Cornwall — Resolves  on  a  mis- 
sionary life — Ordination 23 

CHAPTER  III. 

Enters  on  his  ministerial  labors — Acts  as  examiner  in 
the  University — Applies  for  a  Chaplainship  under 
the  East  India  Company— Pursues  his  ministerial 
labors — Supreme  regard  to  personal  religion — Vi- 
sits Cornwall — Sufferings  on  leaving  England.     .    55 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Departure  from  England — Ministry  on  board  ship — 
Incidents  of  the  voyage — Visits  Hunchal — St.  Sal- 
vador— Cape  of  Good  Hope — A  field  of  battle- 
Opposed  in  his  ministry — Feelings  on  approaching 
India — Arrives  at  Madras — Reaches  Calcutta.     .  112 

CHAPTER  V. 

Arrival  at  Calcutta — Residence  and  illness  at  Aldeen 
— Preaches  at  Calcutta — Opposition  encountered — 
Is  appointed  to  Dinapore — Leaves  Calcutta — Voy- 
age up  the  Hoogley  and  Ganges 1G5 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Stationed  at  Dinapore — Obstacles  encountered— Com- 


mences  his  ministry — Translations — Disputes  with 
his  Moonshee  and  Pundit — Arrival  of  Mr.  Corrie 
at  Dinapore — Difficulties  respecting  the  schools — 
Happiness  in  the  work  of  translation.    .        .        .  197 

CHAPTER  VII. 

Death  of  his  eldest  sister — Letters  to  his  friends— arri- 
val of  Mirza  and  Sabat— Trials  with  Sabat— De- 
clining health— Removal  to  Cawnpore— Death  of 
his  youngest  sister— Health  more  impaired— De- 
termines to  visit  Arabia  and  Persia — Leaves  Cawn- 
pore for  Calcutta— Departs  for  Arabia.  .        .  240 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

Voyage  and  journey  from  Bengal  to  Persia— Insup- 
portable heat — Arrival  at  Shiras— Commences  a 
new  Persian  translation  of  the  New  Testament — 
Discussions  with  the  Persian  Moollahs.         .        .  300 

CHAPTER  IX. 

First  public  discussion  at  Shiraz — Mr.  Martyn  replies 
to  a  defence  of  Mohammedanism— Interview  with 
the  head  of  the  Soofies — Visits  Persepolis — Trans- 
lations— Discussions 333 

CHAPTER  X. 

Leaves  Shiraz  in  order  to  lay  before  the  king  his 
translation  of  the  New  Testament — Arrives  at 
the  camp — Is  not  admitted  to  an  audience — Pro- 
ceeds to  Tebriz — Severe  illness 383 

CHAPTER  XI. 

Commences  his  journey  homewards,  by  way  of  Con- 
stantinople— Visits  Echmiadzin— Suffers  from  fe- 
ver—Dies at  Tocat,  in  Persia— View  of  his  Cha- 
racter—Conclusion  407 


ADVERTISEMENT. 


Before  the  reader  proceeds  to  the  perusal  of  the 
following  memoir,  it  may  be  proper  to  inform  him 
that  the  former  part  of  it  has  been  chiefly  selected 
from  various  journals,  which  Mr.  Martyn  was  in  the 
habit  of  keeping,  for  his  own  private  use  :  and  which, 
beginning  with  the  year  1803,  comprehend  a  period 
of  eight  years.  The  remainder  is  extracted  from  an 
account  which  he  drew  up  of  his  visit  to  Shiraz  in 
Persia ;  in  which  some  occasional  observations  on  the 
state  of  his  own  mind  and  feelings  are  interspersed. 
It  is  termed  "  a  Narrative"  by  Mr.  Martyn  ;  and  it 
was  probably  his  intention  to  have  enlarged  it,  for 
the  use  of  the  public,  had  his  life  been  spared,  or 
perhaps  to  have  communicated  it,  nearly  in  its  origi- 
nal shape,  to  his  intimate  friends.  From  the  style 
and  manner  of  it,  at  least,  it  may  be  presumed  not  to 
have  been  exclusively  intended,  as  the  journals  above 
mentioned  evidently  were,  for  his  own  recollection 
and  benefit.  The  greater  part  of  the  last  mentioned 
papers  were  upon  the  point  of  being  destroyed  by 
the  writer  on  his  undertaking  his  voyage  to  Persia, 
but,  happily,  he  was  prevailed  upon  by  the  Rev.  D. 


VKTISEMFN  I. 

Oofl  .     •  .vnridc  them  under  a  sea".  HO,  and 

m  Rev 

C    S    "  r:v::\\  Esq.  Mr    Ma 

Benton  in  the  yean  '.su.    *  The  NuTative,"  which 

frtfi  mat  by  Mr.  Morier  ;':;•.    CoDStanl 

a  in  the  following  year.    S 
materi.  -  vhich  I  have  compiled  the  present 

I — throughout  the  vrhok  of  which  1  hi 

is  much  is   pass         Iiq  let  Mr.  M 

::-.-.:>  :;  ;-\ ....v.  a  c« 
D  mind. 

h  Talu- 
:;  has  been  my  an \      tS       ski       sincere 
subseti  m  inte- 

rests tth  me 

has  be;  those  disinterested 

s  era  of  the  Gospel,  who,  "'with  the 
their  hand,  and  their  Savior  in  their  heal 

lc  great  causa  (or  which  Mr.  Mar- 
cd  and  c.  tie  here 

should   excite  any  of  loose  servants  ot 
::  similar  exertion,  or  if  it  should  an 

hem  amidst  the  multiplied  dinicul- 
'  their  arduc/.s  ;;/.:$:\  :v.y '..■:::  ivean 

e:v.::v;:::  :.::.:  ^r.:"^^:-.:  :e;;:r.rense. 

j  a 


CHAPTER  I. 


EARLT  LIFE  OF  UHBY  MARTYS. — SCCCEA  LCAL 

CAREER. — REUGJOf*  IMPRESSIONS. 

It  has  been  well  observed  by  took  a  pro- 

found view  of  human  nature,  that  there  are  three  very 
different  orbits  in  which  great  men  move  and  s:. 
and  that  each  sphere  of  greatness  has  its  respective 
admirers.    There  are  those,    v.  bo,  as  heroes,  fill  the 
world  with  their  exploits;  they  are  greeted  by 
acclamations  of  the  multitude ;    they   are  enru 
whilst  living,  and  their  names  descend  with  lust: 
posterity.   Others  there  are.  who.  by  the  brilliant 
their  imagination  or  the  vigor  of  their  intellect,  attain 
to  honor  of  a  purer  and  a  higher  kind;  the  fame  of 
.  is  confined  to  a  more  select  number;  for  ali  have 
not  a  discriminating  sense  of  their  merit.   A  third  de- 
scription remains,  distinct  from  both  of  the  former, 
and  far  more  exalted  than  either;  whose  excellence 
consists  in  a  renunciation  of  themselves  and  a  com- 
passionate love  for  mankind.    In  this  order  the  Savior 
of  the  world  was  pleased  to  appear;  and  those  per- 
sons obtain  the  highest  rank  in  it.  who,  by  his  grace, 
are  enabled  most  closely  to  imitate  his  example. 

*  Pascal. 


8  MEMOIR   OF 

Henry  Martyn,  the  subject  of  this  Memoir,  was 
bora  at  Truro,  in  the  county  of  Cornwall,  on  the  18th 
of  February,  1781,  and  appears,  with  his  family  in 
general,  to  have  inherited  a  weak  constitution;  as,  of 
many  children,  four  only,  two  sons  and  two  daughters, 
survived  their  falher,  Mr.  John  Martyn,  and  all  of 
these,  within  a  short  period,  followed  him  to  the 
grave.  Of  these,  Henry  was  the  third.  His  father  was 
originally  in  a  very  humble  situation  of  life,  having 
been  a  laborer  in  the  mines  of  Gwenap,  the  place  of 
his  nativity.  With  no  education  but  such  as  a  coun- 
try reading  school  afforded,  he  was  compelled  to  en- 
gage, for  his  daily  support,  in  an  employment,  which, 
dreary  and  unhealthy  as  it  was,  offered  some  advan- 
tages, of  which  he  most  meritoriously  availed  him- 
self. The  miners,  it  seems,  are  in  the  habit  of  work- 
ing and  resting  alternately  every  four  hours;  and  the 
periods  of  relaxation  from  manual  labor  they  fre- 
quently devote  to  mental  improvement.  In  theseNin- 
tervals  of  cessation  from  toil,  John  Martyn  acquired  a 
complete  knowledge  of  arithmetic,  and  also  some  ac- 
quaintance with  mathematics;  and  no  sooner  had  he 
gathered  these  valuable  and  substantial  fruits  of  per- 
severing diligence  in  a  soil  most  unfriendly  to  their 
growth,  than  he  was  raised  from  a  state  of  poverty 
and  depression  to  one  of  comparative  ease  and  com- 
fort. Being  admitted  to  the  office  of  Mr.  Daniel,  a 
merchant  of  Truro,  he  lived  there  as  chief  clerk,  very 
respectably,  enjoying  considerably  more  than  a  com- 
petency. At  the  grammar  school  in  this  town,  the 
master  of  which  was  the  Rev.  Cornelius  Cardew,  D. 
D.  a  gentleman  of  learning  and  talents,  Henry  was 


HENRY    MARTYN.  9 

placed  by  his  father,  in  midsummer,  1788,  being  then 
between  seven  and  eight  years  of  age.  Of  his  child- 
hood, previous  to  this  period,  little  or  nothing  can  be 
ascertained ;  but  those  who  knew  him  considered  him 
to  be  a  boy  of  promising  abilities. 

Upon  his  first  entering  the  school,  Dr.  Cardew  ob- 
serves, that  "he  did  not  fail  to  answer  the  expecta- 
tions which  had  been  formed  of  him :  his  proficiency 
in  the  classics  exceeded  that  of  most  of  his  school- 
fellows ;  yet  there  were  boys  who  made  a  more  rapid 
progress ;  not  perhaps  that  their  abilities  were  supe- 
rior, but  their  application  was  greater ;  for  he  was  of 
a  lively,  cheerful  temper,  and,  as  I  have  been  told  by 
those  who  sat  near  him,  appeared  to  be  the  idlest 
among  them ;  being  frequently  known  to  go  up  to  his 
lesson  with  little  or  no  preparation — as  if  he  had 
learned  it  by  intuition." 

In  all  schools  there  are  boys,  it  is  well  known,  who, 
from  natural  softness  of  spirit,  inferiority  in  point  of 
bodily  strength,  or  an  unusual  thirst  for  literary  ac- 
quirements, become  much  secluded  from  the  rest; 
and  such  boys  are  generally  exposed  to  the  ridicule 
and  oppression  of  their  associates.  Henry  Martyn, 
though  not  at  that  time  eminently  studious,  was  one 
of  this  class ;  he  seldom  joined  the  other  boys  in  their 
pastimes,  in  which  he  was  not  an  adept ;  and  he  often 
suffered  from  the  tyranny  of  those  older  and  stronger 
than  himself. 

"  Little  Harry  Martyn,"  (for  by  that  name  he  usu- 
ally went,)  says  one  of  his  earliest  friends  and  com- 
panions, "was  in  a  manner  proverbial  among  his 
school-fellows  for  a  peculiar  tenderness  and  inoffen- 


10  MEMOIR    OF 

siveness  of  spirit,  which  exposed  him  to  the  ill  offices 
of  many  overbearing  boys ;  and  as  there  was  at  times 
some  peevishness  in  his  manner  when  attacked,  he 
was  often  unkindly  treated.  That  he  might  receive 
assistance  in  his  lessons,  he  was  placed  near  one  of 
the  upper  boys,  with  whom  he  contracted  a  friend- 
ship which  lasted  through  life,  and  whose  imagina- 
tion readily  recalls  the  position  in  which  he  used  to 
sit,  the  thankful  expression  of  his  affectionate  counte- 
nance when  he  happened  to  be  helped  out  of  some 
difficulty,  and  a  thousand  other  little  incidents  of  his 
boyish  days."  Besides  assisting  him  in  his  exercises, 
his  friend,  it  is  added,  "had  often  the  happiness  of 
rescuing  him  from  the  grasp  of  oppressors,  and  haa 
never  seen  more  feeling  gratitude  evinced  than  was 
shown  by  him  on  those  occasions." 

At  this  school,  under  the  same  excellent  tuition, 
Henry  remained  till  he  was  between  fourteen  and  fif- 
teen years  of  age;  at  which  period  he  was  induced  to 
offer  himself  as  a  candidate  for  a  vacant  scholarship  at 
Corpus  Christi  College,  Oxford.  Young  as  he  was,  he 
went  there  alone,  without  any  interest  in  the  Univer- 
sity, and  with  only  a  single  letter  to  one  of  the  tutors  ; 
and  while  there,  he  acquitted  himself  so  well,  though 
strongly  and  ably  opposed,  that  in  the  opinion  of  some 
of  the  examiners  he  ought  to  have  been  elected. 
How  often  is  the  hand  of  God  seen  in  frustrating  our 
fondest  designs!  Had  success  attended  him,  the  whole 
circumstances  of  his  after-life  would  have  been  varied  ; 
and  however  his  temporal  interests  might  have  been 
promoted,  his  spiritual  interests  would  probably  have 
sustained  a  proportionate  Joss. 


HENRY   MARTYN.  11 

It  was  with  sensations  of  this  kind  that  he  himself, 
many  years  afterwards,  reverted  to  this  disappoint- 
ment. "  In  the  autumn  of  1795,"  he  says,  in  an  ac- 
count prefixed  to  his  private  Journal  of  the  year  1803, 
"  my  father,  at  the  persuasion  of  many  of  his  friends, 
sent  me  to  Oxford,  to  be  a  candidate  for  the  vacant 
scholarship  at  Corpus  Christi.  I  entered  at  no  college, 
but  had  rooms  at  Exeter  College,  by  the  interest  of 
Mr.  Cole,  the  Sub-Rector.  I  passed  the  examination,  I 
believe,  tolerably  well  ;  but  was  unsuccessful,  having 
every  reason  to  think  that  the  decision  was  impartial. 
Had  I  remained,  and  become  a  member  of  the  Uni- 
versity at  that  time,  as  I  should  have  done  in  case 
of  success,  the  profligate  acquaintances  I  had  there 
would  have  introduced  me  to  scenes  of  debauchery, 
in  which  I  must,  in  all  probability,  from  my  extreme 
youth,  have  sunk  for  ever." 

After  this  repulse,  Henry  returned  home,  and  con- 
tinued to  attend  Dr.  Cardew's  school  till  June,  1779. 
That  he  had  made  no  inconsiderable  progress  there, 
was  evident  from  the  very  creditable  examination  he 
passed  at  Oxford  ;  and  in  the  two  years  subsequent  to 
this,  he  must  have  greatly  augmented  his  fund  of  clas- 
sical knowledge ;  but  it  seems  not  to  have  been  till  after 
he  had  commenced  his  academical  career,  that  his  su- 
periority of  talent  was  fully  discovered.  The  signal 
success  of  that  friend  who  had  been  his  guide  and 
protector  at  school,  led  him,  in  the  spring  of  this  year, 
to  direct  his  views  towards  the  University  of  Cam- 
bridge, which  he  probably  preferred  to  that  of  Ox- 
ford, because  he  hoped  there  to  profit  by  the  advice 
and  assistance  to  which  he  was  already  so  much  in- 


12  MEMOIR   OP 

debted.  Whatever  might  be  the  cause  of  this  prefer- 
ence, it  certainly  did  not  arise  from  any  predilection 
for  mathematics  :  for  he  confesses  that,  in  the  autumn 
before  he  went  to  Cambridge,  instead  of  the  study  of 
Euclid  and  Algebra,  one  part  of  the  day  was  dedica- 
ted to  his  favorite  employment  of  shooting,  and  the 
other  to  reading,  for  the  most  part,  Travels,  and  Lord 
Chesterfield's  Letters; — "attributing  to  a  want  of 
taste  for  mathematics,  what  ought  to  have  been  as- 
cribed to  idleness  ;  and  having  his  mind  in  a  roving, 
dissatisfied,  restless  condition,  seeking  his  chief  plea- 
sure in  reading  and  in  human  praise." 

His  residence  at  St.  John's  College,  where  his  name 
had  been  previously  entered  in  the  summer,  com- 
menced in  the  month  of  October,  1797;  and  it  may 
tend  to  show  how  little  can  be  determined  from  first 
attempts,  to  relate  that  Henry  Martyn  began  his  ma- 
thematical pursuits  by  attempting  to  commit  the  pro- 
positions of  Euclid  to  memory.  The  endeavor  may  be 
considered  as  a  proof  of  the  confidence  he  himself  en- 
tertained in  the  retentive  powers  of  his  mind  ;  but  it 
certainly  did  not  supply  an  auspicious  omen  of  future 
excellence. 

On  his  introduction  to  the  University,  happily  for 
him,  the  friend  of  his  'boyish  days'  became  the  coun- 
selor of  his  riper  years ;  nor  was  this  important  act 
of  friendship  either  lost  upon  him  at  the  time,  or  ob- 
literated from  his  memory  in  after  life.  "  During  the 
first  term,"  he  has  recorded  in  his  Journal,  "  I  was 
kept  a  good  deal  in  idleness  by  some  of  my  new  ac- 
quaintances, but  the  kind  attention  of  K was  a 

principal  means  qf  my  preservation  from  excess." 


HENBY    .MARTYX.  13 

That  his  time  was  far  from  being  wholly  misem- 
ployed, between  October  and  Christmas,  is  evident 
from  the  place  he  obtained  in  the  first  class  at  the 
public  examination  of  his  college  in  December  ;  a  cir 
cumstance  which,  joined  to  the  extreme  desire  he  had 
to  gratify  his  father,  encouraged  and  excited  him  tc 
study  with  increased  alacrity  ;  and  as  the  fruit  of  this 
application,  at  the  next  public  examination  in  the 
summer,  he  reached  the  second  station  in  the  first 
class ;  a  point  of  elevation  which  "  flattered  his  pride 
not  a  little." 

The  tenor  of  Henry  Martyn's  life,  during  this  and 
the  succeeding  year,  would,  in  the  eye  of  the  world, 
be  considered  to  have  been  amiable  and  commenda- 
ble. He  was  outwardly  moral ;  was,  with  little  excep- 
tion, unwearied  in  application ;  and  exhibited  marks  of 
no  ordinary  talent.  One  exception  to  this  statement  is 
to  be  found  in  an  irritability  of  temper,  increased,  if 
not  engendered  by  the  treatment  he  had  met  with  at 
school.  These  ebullitions  of  passion  had,  on  one  occa- 
sion, nearly  proved  fatal  to  a  friend — the  late  excel- 
lent Mr.  Cotterill  (afterwards  minister  of  St.  Paul's 
Church,  Sheffield.)  He  barely  escaped  the  point  of  a 
knife,  which,  thrown  by  the  hand  of  Henry  Martyn, 
most  providentially  missed  him,  and  was  left  trem- 
bling in  the  wall.  If,  from  this  unsubdued  impetuosity 
of  temper,  we  pass  to  his  avowed  and  fixed  principles, 
— these,  as  might  well  be  expected,  evince  him  to  have 
been  living  at  this  time  '  without  God  in  the  world.' 
The  consideration  that  God  chiefly  regards  the  mo- 
tives of  our  actions — a  consideration  so  momentous, 
and  so  essential  to  the  character  of  a  real  Christian— 
2 


14  MEMOIR   OP 

appears  as  yet  never  to  have  entered  his  mind ;  and 
even  when  it  did,  as  was  the  case  at  this  time,  it  rest- 
ed there  as  a  theoretic  notion,  which  was  never  meant 
to  be  reduced  to  practice.  His  own  account  of  him- 
self is  very  striking.  Speaking  of  June,  1799,  he  says, 

"  K (the  friend  alluded  to  before)  attempted  to 

persuade  me  that  I  ought  to  attend  to  reading,  not  for 
the  praise  of  men,  but  for  the  glory  of  God.  This 
seemed  strange  to  me,  but  reasonable.  I  resolved 
therefore,  to  maintain  this  opinion  thenceforth  ;  but 
never  designed,  that  I  remember,  that  it  should  affect 
my  conduct."  What  a  decisive  mark  this  of  an  unre- 
newed mind! — what  an  affecting  proof  that  light  may 
break  in  upon  the  understanding,  whilst  there  is  not 
so  much  as  the  dawn  of  it  on  the  heart ! 

Providentially  for  Henry  Martyn,  he  had  not  only 
the  great  blessing  of  possessing  a  religious  friend  at 
college,  but  he  possessed  likewise  the  happiness  of 
having  a  sister  in  Cornwall,  who  was  a  Christian  of  a 
meek,  heavenly,  and  affectionate  spirit :  to  whom,  as 
well  as  to  the  rest  of  his  relations  there,  he  paid  a  visit 
in  the  summer  of  the  year  1799,  carrying  with  him  no 
small  degree  of  academical  honor,  though  not  all  that 
he  had  fondly  and  ambitiously  expected.  He  had  lost 
the  prize  for  themes  in  his  college,  and  was  only  se- 
cond again  in  the  first  class  at  the  public  examination, 
when  he  had  hoped  to  have  been  first ;— a  "  double 
disappointment,"  to  use  his  own  words,  "  which  net- 
tled him  to  the  quick."  It  may  be  well  supposed  that 
to  a  sister,  such  as  we  have  described,  her  brother's 
spiritual  welfare  would  be  a  most  serious  and  anxious 
•iO'icern;  and  that  she  often  conversed  with  him  on 


HENRY    MARTYN.  15 

the  subject  of  religion,  we  learn  from  his  own  decla- 
ration. "  I  went  home  this  summer,  and  was  frequently 
addressed  by  my  dear  sister  on  the  subject  of  religion ; 
but  the  sound  of  the  Gospel  conveyed  in  the  admoni- 
tion of  a  sister,  was  grating  to  my  ears."  The  first  re- 
sult of  her  tender  exhortations  and  earnest  endeavors 
was  very  discouraging:  a  violent  conflict  took  place 
in  her  brother's  mind,  between  his  conviction  of  the 
truth  of  what  she  urged,  and  his  love  of  the  world  ; 
and  for  the  present,  the  latter  prevailed.  Yet  sisters, 
similarly  circumstanced,  may  learn  from  this  case, 
not  merely  their  duty,  but  also,  from  the  final  result, 
the  success  they  may  anticipate — in  the  faithful  dis- 
charge of  it.  "  I  think,"  he  observes,  when  afterwards 
reviewing  this  period  with  a  spirit  truly  broken  and 
contrite,  "  I  do  not  remember  a  time  in  which  the 
wickedness  of  my  heart  rose  to  a  greater  height  than 
during  my  stay  at  home.  The  consummate  selfishness 
and  exquisite  irritability  of  my  mind  were  displayed 
in  rage,  malice,  and  envy ;  in  pride,  and  vain  glory 
and  contempt  of  all  5  in  the  harshest  language  to  my 
sister,  and  even  to  my  father,  if  he  happened  to  differ 
from  my  mind  and  will.  O  what  an  example  of  pa- 
tience and  mildness  was  he  !  I  love  to  think  of  his  ex- 
cellent qualities,  and  it  is  frequently  the  anguish  of 
my  heart  that  I  ever  could  be  so  base  and  wicked  as 
to  pain  him  by  the  slightest  neglect.  O  my  God  and 
Father,  why  is  not  my  heart  doubly  agonized  at  the 
remembrance  of  all  my  great  transgressions  against 
thee  ever  smce  I  have  known  thee  as  such! — I  left  my 
sister  and  father  in  October,  and  him  I  saw  no  more. 
I  promised  my  sister  that  I  would  read  the  Bible  for 


16  MEMOIR   OF 

myself,  but  on  being  settled  at  college,  Newton  en- 
gaged all  my  thoughts." 

At  length,  however,  it  pleased  God  to  convince 
Henry,  by  a  most  affecting  visitation  of  his  providence, 
that  there  was  a  knowledge  far  more  important  to  him 
than  any  human  science ;  and  to  lead  him,  whilst 
contemplating  the  heavens  by  the  light  of  astronomy, 
to  devote  himself  to  His  service,  who,  having  made 
those  heavens,  and  having  left  them  for  man's  salva- 
tion, is  now  again  exalted  to  the  right  hand  of  God,  as 
his  Mediator  and  Advocate.  The  sudden  and  heart- 
rending intelligence  of  the  death  of  his  father,  was  the 
proximate,  though  doubtless  not  the  efficient  cause  of 
his  receiving  these  convictions.  How  poignant  were 
his  sufferings  under  this  affliction  may  be  seen  in  the 
account  he  himself  has  left  of  it:  from  whence  it  is 
evident  that  it  was  a  season,  not  only  of  severe  but  of 
sanctified  sorrow — a  seed-time  of  tears,  promising  that 
harvest  of  holiness,  peace,  and  joy,  which  succeed- 
ed it. 

"  At  the  examination  at  Christmas,  1799,"  he  writes, 
"  I  was  first,  and  the  account  of  it  pleased  my  father 
prodigiously,  who,  I  was  told,  was  in  great  health  and 
spirits.  What  then  was  my  consternation,  when,  in 
January,  I  received  from  my  brother  an  account  of 
his  death  !  But  while  I  mourned  the  loss  of  an  earthly 
parent,  the  angels  in  heaven  were  rejoicing  at  my  be- 
ing so  soon  to  find  a  heavenly  one.  As  I  had  no  taste 
at  this  time  for  my  usual  studies,  I  took  up  my  Bible, 
thinking  that  the  consideration  of  religion  was  rather 
suitable  to  this  solemn  time  ;  nevertheless,!  often  took 
up  other  books  to  engage  my  attention,  and  should 


HENRY    MARTYN. 


17 


have  continued  to  do  so,  had  not  K advised  me  to 

make  this  time  an  occasion  of  serious  reflection.  I  be- 
gan with  the  Acts,  as  being  the  most  amusing ;  and 
whilst  I  was  entertained  with  the  narrative,  I  found 
myself  insensibly  led  to  inquire  more  attentively  into 
the  doctrines  of  the  Apostles.  These  corresponded 
nearly  enough  with  the  few  notions  I  had  received  in 
my  early  youth.  I  believe,  on  the  first  night  after,  I 
began  to  pray  from  a  precomposed  form,  in  which  I 
thanked  God,  in  general,  for  having  sent  Christ  into 
the  world.  But  though  I  prayed  for  pardon,  I  had 
little  sense  of  my  own  sinfulness ;  nevertheless,  I  be- 
gan to  consider  myself  a  religious  man.  The  first  time 
after  this  that  I  went  to  chapel,  I  saw,  with  some  de- 
gree of  surprise  at  my  former  inattention,  that  in  the 
Magnificat*  there  was  a  great  degree  of  joy  expressed 
at  the  coming  of  Christ,  which  I  thought  but  reason- 
able. K had  lent  me  Doddridge's  Rise  and  Pro- 
gress, the  first  part  of  which  I  could  not  bear  to  read, 
because  it  appeared  to  make  religion  consist  too  much 
in  humiliation ;  and  my  proud  and  wicked  heart 
would  not  bear  to  be  brought  down  into  the  dust. 

And  K ,  to  whom  I  mentioned  the  gloom  which  I 

felt  after  reading  the  first  part  of  Doddridge,  repro- 
bated it  strongly.  Alas !  did  he  think  that  we  can  go 
along  the  way  that  leadeth  unto  life,  without  entering 
in  at  the  '  strait  gate?' " 

It  was  not  long  after  Henry  had  been  called  to  en- 
dure this  gracious,  though  grievous,  chastening  from 
above,  that  the  public  exercises  commenced  in  the 

"*  My  soul  doth  magnify  the  Lord,"  &x.    Luke,  1  :  46. 

2* 


18  MEMOIR    OF 

University ;  and  although  his  greatest  stimulus  to  ex- 
ertion was  removed  by  the  loss  of  his  father,  whom  it 
was  his  most  anxious  desire  still  to  please,  he  again  de- 
voted himself  to  his  mathematical  studies  with  un- 
wearied diligence.  That  spiritual  danger  exists  in  an 
intense  application  of  the  mind  to  these  studies,  he 
was  so  deeply  sensible  at  a  later  period  of  his  life,  as, 
on  a  review  of  this  particular  time,  most  gratefully  to 
acknowledge  that  "the  mercy  of  God  prevented  the 
extinction  of  that  spark  of  grace  which  his  Spirit  had 
kindled."  At  the  moment  of  his  exposure  to  this  peril, 
he  was  less  conscious  of  it :  but  we  may  perceive  from 
the  following  letter  to  his  youngest  sister,  that  he  was 
not  wholly  devoid  of  circumspection  on  this  head. 
Having  shortly,  and  with  much  simplicity,  announced 
that  his  name  stood  first  upon  the  list  at  the  college 
examination  of  the  summer  of  the  year  1800,  he  thus 
expresses  himself:  "What  a  blessing  it  is  for  me,  that 

I  have  such  a  sister  as  you,  my  dear  S ,  who  have 

been  so  instrumental  in  keeping  me  in  the  right  way! 
When  I  consider  how  little  human  assistance  you  have 
had,  and  the  great  knowledge  to  which  you  have  at- 
tained on  the  subject  of  religion — especially  observing 
the  extreme  ignorance  of  the  most  wise  and  learned 
of  this  world — I  think  this  is  itself  a  proof  of  the  won- 
derful influence  of  the  Holy  Ghost  on  the  mind  of  well 
disposed  persons.  It  is  certainly  by  the  Spirit  alone 
that  we  can  have  the  will,  or  power,  or  knowledge,  or 
confidence  to  pray;  and  by  Him  alone  we  come  unto 
the  Father  through  Jesus  Christ.  '  Through  Him  we 
both  have  access  by  one  Spirit  unto  the  Father.'  How 
I  rejoice  to  find  that  we  disagreed  only  about  words ! 


HENRY   MARTYN.  19 

I  did  not  doubt,  as  you  suppose,  at  all  about  that  joy 
which  true  believers  feel.  Can  there  be  any  one  sub- 
ject, any  one  source  of  cheerfulness  and  joy,  at  all  to 
be  compared  with  the  heavenly  serenity  and  comfort 
which  such  a  person  must  find,  in  holding  communion 
with  his  God  and  Savior  in  prayer — in  addressing 
God  as  his  Father — and,  more  than  all,  in  the  trans- 
porting hope  of  being  preserved  unto  everlasting  life, 
and  of  singing  praises  to  his  Redeemer  when  time  shall 
be  no  more  ?  Oh  !  I  do  indeed  feel  this  state  of  mind 
at  times;  but  at  other  times  I  feel  quite  humbled  at 
finding  myself  so  cold  and  hard-hearted.  That  reluc- 
tance to  prayer,  that  unwillingness  to  come  unto  God, 
who  is  the  fountain  of  all  good,  when  reason  and  ex- 
perience tell  us  that  with  him  only  true  pleasure  is 
to  be  found,  seem  to  be  owing  to  Satanic  influence. 
Though  I  think  my  employment  in  life  gives  me  pe- 
culiar advantages,  in  some  respects,  with  regard  to  re- 
ligious knowledge ;  yet  with  regard  to  having  a  prac- 
tical sense  of  things  on  the  mind,  it  is  by  far  the  worst 
of  any.  For  the  laborer,  as  he  drives  on  his  plough, 
and  the  weaver,  as  he  works  at  his  loom,  may  have  his 
thoughts  entirely  disengaged  from  his  work,  and  may 
think  with  advantage  upon  an}'-  religious  subject.  But 
the  nature  of  our  studies  requires  such  a  deep  abstrac- 
tion of  the  mind  from  all  things,  as  to  render  it  com- 
pletely incapable  of  any  thing  else,  and  that  during 
many  hours  of  the  day.  With  respect  to  the  dealings 
of  the  Almighty  with  me,  you  have  heard  in  general 
the  chief  of  my  account ;  as  I  am  brought  to  a  sense  of 
things  gradually,  there  is  nothing  peculiarly  striking 
in  it  to  particularize.    After  the  death  of  our  father, 


20  MEMOIR  OF 

you  know  I  was  extremely  low-spirited ;  and,  like 
most  other  people,  began  to  consider  seriously,  with- 
out any  particular  determination,  that  invisible  world 
to  which  he  was  gone,  and  to  which  I  must  one  day 
go.  Yet  I  still  read  the  Bible  unenlightened ;  and  said 
a  prayer  or  two,  rather  through  terror  of  a  superior 
power  than  from  any  other  cause.  Soon,  however,  I 
began  to  attend  more  diligently  to  the  words  of  our 
Savior  in  the  New  Testament,  and  to  devour  them 
with  delight ;  when  the  offers  of  mercy  and  forgiveness 
were  made  so  freely,  I  supplicated  to  be  made  par- 
taker of  the  covenant  of  grace,  with  eagerness  and 
hope :  and  thanks  be  to  the  ever-blessed  Trinity  for 
not  leaving  me  without  comfort.  Throughout  the 
whole,  however,  even  when  the  light  of  divine  truth 
was  beginning  to  dawn  on  my  mind,  I  was  not  under 
that  great  terror  of  future  punishment  which  I  now 
see  plainly  I  had  every  reason  to  feel :  I  look  back 
now  upon  that  course  of  wickedness  which,  like  a  gulf 
of  destruction,  yawned  to  swallow  me  up,  with  a  trem- 
bling delight,  mixed  with  shame  at  having  lived  so 
long  in  ignorance,  and  error,  and  blindness.    I  could 

say  much  more,  my  dear  S ,  but  I  have  no  more 

room.  I  have  only  to  express  my  acquiescence  in  most 
of  your  opinions,  and  to  join  with  you  in  gratitude  to 
God  for  his  mercies  to  us  :  may  he  preserve  you,  and 
me,  and  all  of  us,  to  the  day  of  the  Lord  !" 

How  cheering  to  his  sister  must  it  have  been,  to  re- 
ceive, at  a  moment  of  deep  sorrow,  such  a  communi- 
cation as  this,  indicating  a  state  of  mind  not  thorough- 
ly instructed,  indeed,  in  the  mystery  of  faith,  but  fully 
&Iive  to  the  supreme  importance  of  religion  !  How  sa- 


HENRY    MARTYN.  21 

lutary  to  his  own  mind  to  have  possessed  so  near  a  re- 
lation, to  whom  he  could  thus  freely  open  the  work- 
ings of  his  heart !  But  the  chief  cause,  under  God,  of 
his  stability  at  this  season  in  those  religious  principles 
which,  by  divine  grace,  he  had  adopted,  was  evidently 
that  constant  attendance,  which  he  now  commenced, 
on  the  ministry  of  the  Rev.  Charles  Simeon,  at  Trinity 
Church,  in  Cambridge  ;  under  whose  truly  pastoral  in- 
struction, he  himself  declares  that  he  "  gradually  ac- 
quired more  knowledge  in  divine  things." 

In  the  retrospect  which  Henry  afterwards  took  of  this 
part  of  his  life,  he  seems  sometimes  ready  to  suspect  a 
want  of  growth,  and  almost  a  want  of  vitality  in  his 
religion ;  but  though  there  may  have  been  some  ground 
for  the  former  of  these  suspicions,  there  certainly  was 
none,  whatever  his  humility  may  have  suggested,  for 
the  latter.  "  I  can  only  account,"  he  says,  "  for  my  be- 
ing stationary  so  long,  by  the  intenseness  with  which 
I  pursued  my  studies,  in  which  I  was  so  absorbed,  that 
the  time  I  gave  to  them  seemed  not  to  be  a  portion  of 
my  existence.  That  in  which  I  now  see  I  was  lamen- 
tably deficient,  was  a  humble  and  contrite  spirit,  in 
which  I  should  have  perceived  more  clearly  the  excel- 
lency of  Christ.  The  eagerness  too,  with  which  I 
looked  forward  to  the  approaching  examination  for 
degrees,  too  clearly  betrayed  a  heart  not  dead  to  the 
world." 

That  a  public  examination  for  a  degree  in  the  Uni- 
versity must  be  a  time  of  painful  solicitude  to  those 
about  to  pass  through  it,  is  obvious  ;  especially  when 
great  expectations  have  been  raised,  and  worldly  pros- 
pects are  likelv  to  be  seriously  affected  by  the  event. 


22  MEMOIR    OF 

From  Henry  Martyn  much  was  expected ;  and  had  he 
altogether  failed,  his  temporal  interests  would  have 
materially  suffered.  Nor  was  he  naturally  insensible 
to  those  perturbations  which  are  apt  to  arise  in  a  youth- 
ful and  ambitious  breast.  It  happened,  however,  (as  he 
was  frequently  known  to  assert,)  that  upon  entering 
the  Senate  House,  in  which  a  larger  than  the  usual 
proportion  of  able  young  men  were  his  competitors, 
his  mind  was  singularly  composed  and  tranquilized, 
by  the  recollection  of  a  sermon  which  he  had  heard 
not  long  before  on  the  text — "  Seekest  thou  great  things 
for  thyself? — seek  them  not.  saith  the  Lord."  He  thus 
became  divested  of  that  extreme  anxiety  about  success, 
which,  by  harassing  his  spirit,  must  have  impeded  the 
free  exercise  of  his  powers.  His  decided  superiority 
in  mathematics  therefore  soon  appeared — and  the 
highest  academical  honor,  that  of  "  Senior  Wrangler,"' 
was  awarded  to  him  in  January,  1801,  at  which  pe- 
riod he  had  not  completed  the  twentieth  year  of  his 
age.  Nor  is  it  any  disparagement  to  that  honor,  or  to 
those  who  conferred  it  on  him,  to  record  that  it  was 
attended  in  this  instance  with  that  sense  of  disappoint- 
ment and  dissatisfaction  to  which  all  earthly  blessings 
are  subject.  His  description  of  his  own  feelings  on  this 
occasion  is  very  remarkable — "  I  obtained  my  highest 
wishes,  but  was  surprised  to  find  that  I  had  grasped  a 
shadow."  So  impossible  is  it  for  earthly  distinctions, 
though  awarded  for  successful  exertions  of  the  intel- 
lect, to  fill  and  satisfy  the  mind,  especially  after  it  has 
tasted  "  the  good  word  of  God,  and  the  powers  of  the 
world  to  come."  So  certain  is  it,  that  he  who  drinks 
of  the  water  of  the  well  of  this  life  must  thirst  again, 


HENRY   MARTYN.  23 

and  that  it  is  the  water  which  springs  up  to  everlasting 
life  which  alone  affords  never-failing  refreshment. 


CHAPTER   II 


advancement  in  piety — success  in  college — tour  through 
Wales  to  Cornwall — resolves  on  a  missionary  life — or- 
dination. 

Having  thus  attained  that  station  of  remarkable 
merit  and  eminence  upon  which  his  eye  from  the  first 
had  been  fixed,  and  for  which  he  had  toiled  with  such 
astonishing  diligence  as  to  be  designated  in  his  col- 
lege as  "  the  man  who  had  not  lost  an  hour,"  and 
having  received  likewise  the  first  of  two  prizes  given 
annually  to  the  best  proficients  in  mathematics, 
amongst  those  bachelors  who  had  just  taken  their  de- 
gree— in  the  month  of  March,  Henry  again  visited 
Cornwall,  where,  amidst  the  joyful  greetings  and  con- 
gratulations of  all  his  friends,  his  youngest  sister  was 
alone  dejected,  not  witnessing  in  him  that  progress  in 
Christian  knowledge  which  she  had  been  fondly  led 
to  anticipate. 

Nor  ought  we  to  attribute  this  wholly  to  that  arden- 
cy of  affection  which  might  dispose  her  to  indulge  in 
sanguine  and  somewhat  unreasonable  expectations. 
Those  who  know  what  human  nature  is,  even  after  it 
has  been  renewed  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  will  not  deny 


24  MEMOIR    OF 

that  it  is  more  than  possible  that  her  brother's  zeal 
might  have  somewhat  relaxed  in  the  bright  sunshine 
of  academical  honor :  and  certain  it  is  that  his  stan- 
dard of  duty,  though  superior  to  that  of  the  world, 
was  at  this  time  far  from  reaching  that  degree  of  ele- 
vation which  it  afterwards  attained.  Who  can  won- 
der, then,  that  a  person  tremblingly  alive  to  his  best 
interests,  should  not  be  wholly  free  from  apprehension, 
and  should  be  continually  urging  on  his  conscience 
the  solemn  sanctions  of  the  Gospel,  entreating  him  to 
aim  at  nothing  less  than  Christian  perfection? 

Returning  to  Cambridge  in  the  summer  of  this  year, 
he  passed  the  season  of  vacation  most  profitably :  con- 
strained, happily,  to  be  much  alone,  he  employed  his 
solitary  hours  in  frequent  communion  with  his  own 
heart,  and  with  that  gracious  Lord  who  once  blessed 
Isaac  and  Nathaniel  in  their  secret  devotions,  and 
who  did  not  withhold  a  blessing  from  his.  "  God,"  he 
observes,  "was  pleased  to  bless  the  solitude  and  re- 
tirement I  enjoyed  this  summer  to  my  improvement : 
and  not  until  then  had  I  ever  experienced  any  real 
pleasure  in  religion.  I  was  more  convinced  of  sin  than 
ever,  more  earnest  in  fleeing  to  Jesus  for  refuge,  and 
more  desirous  of  the  renewel  of  my  nature." 

It  was  during  this  vacation  also  that  an  intimate  ac- 
quaintance commenced,  as  much  distinguished  by  a 
truly  parental  regard  on  the  one  hand,  as  it  was  by  a 
grateful,  reverential,  and  filial  affection  on  the  other. 
Having  long  listened  with  no  small  degree  of  pleasure 
and  profit  to  Mr.  Simeon,  as  a  preacher,  Henry  now 
began  to  enjoy  the  happiness  of  an  admission  to  the 
most  friendly  and  unreserved  intercourse  with  him. 


HENRY   MARTYN.  25 

and  was  in  the  habit  of  soliciting  and  receiving,  on  all 
important  occasions,  his  counsel  and  encouragement. 
By  Mr.  Simeon's  kindness  it  was  that  he  was  now 
made  known  to  several  young  men,  with  some  of 
whom  he  formed  tho  most  enduring  of  all  attach- 
ments— a  Christian  friendship  ;  and  it  was  from  his 
conversation  and  example  also  that  he  imbibed  his 
first  impressions  of  the  transcendent  excellence  of  the 
Christian  ministry;  from  which  it  was  but  a  short 
step  to  resolve  upon  devoting  himself  to  that  sacred 
calling : — for  until  now  he  had  an  intention  of  apply- 
ing to  the  law,  "chiefly,"  he  confesses,  "because  he 
could  not  consent  to  be  poor  for  Christ's  sake." 

The  great  advancement  which  he  had  made  in  ge- 
nuine piety  at  this  period,  from  intercourse  with  real 
Christians,  and  above  all,  from  secret  communion  with 
his  God,  is  discernible  in  the  following  extracts  from 
two  letters — the  first  dated  September  15,  1801,  and 
addressed  to  his  earliest  friend — the  second  written  a 
few  days  afterwards,  to  his  youngest  sister.  "That 
you  may  be  enabled  to  do  the  will  of  your  heavenly 
Father,  shall  be,  you  may  be  assured,  my  constant 
prayer  at  the  throne  of  grace ;  and  this,  as  well  from 
the  desire  of  promoting  the  edification  of  Christ's 
body  upon  earth,  as  from  motives  of  private  gratitude. 
You  have  been  the  instrument  in  the  hands  of  Provi- 
dence of  bringing  me  to  a  serious  sense  of  things  ;  for 
at  the  time  of  my  father's  death,  I  was  using  such  me- 
thods of  alleviating  my  sorrow  as  I  almost  shudder  to 
recollect.  But,  blessed  be  God,  I  have  now  experienc- 
ed that  Christ  is  '  the  power  of  God,  and  the  wisdom 
of  God.'  What  a  blessing  is  the  Gospel !  No  heart  can 
3 


26  MEMOIR  OF 

conceive  its  excellency  but  that  which  has  been  re- 
newed by  divine  grace." 
"  I  have  lately,"  he  writes  in  the  second  letter,  "  been 

witness  to  a  scene  of  distress.  P ,  in  this  town, 

with  whom  I  have  been  little  acquainted,  and  who  had 
lived  to  the  full  extent  of  his  income,  is  now  dying, 
and  his  family  will  be  left  perfectly  destitute.  I  called 
yesterday  to  know  whether  he  was  still  alive,  and 
found  his  wife  in  a  greater  agony  than  you  can  con- 
ceive. She  was  wringing  her  hands,  and  crying  out 
to  me,  '  O  pray  for  his  soul !' — and  then  again  recol- 
lecting her  own  helpless  condition,  and  telling  me  of 
her  wretchedness  in  being  turned  out  upon  the  world 
without  house  or  home.  It  was  in  vain  to  point  to 
heaven ;  the  heart,  distracted  and  overwhelmed  with 
worldly  sorrow,  finds  it  hard  to  look  to  God.  Since 
writing  this,  I  have  been  to  call  on  the  daughters  of 

P ,  who  had  removed  to  another  house,  because, 

from  the  violence  of  their  grief  they  incommoded  the 
sick  man.  Thither  I  went  to  visit  them,  with  my 
head  and  heart  full  of  the  subject  I  was  come  up- 
on; and  was  surprised  to  find  them  cheerful,  and 
thunderstruck  to  see  a  gownsman  reading  a  play  to 
them.  A  play !— when  their  father  was  lying  in  the 
agonies  of  death.  What  a  species  of  consolation  !  I 
rebuked  him  so  sharply,  and  I  am  afraid,  so  intem- 
perately,  that  a  quarrel  will  perhaps  ensue. 

"  But  it  is  time  that  I  should  take  some  notice  of 
your  letter:  when  we  consider  the  misery  and  darkness 
of  the  unregenerate  world,  oh  !  with  how  much  rea- 
son should  we  burst  out  into  thanksgiving  to  God,  who 
has  called  us,  in  his  mercy,  through  Christ  Jesus] 


HENRY    MARTYN.  27 

What  are  we,  that  we  should  thus  be  made  objects  01 
distinguishing  grace!  Who  then,  that  reflects  upon 
the  rock  from  which  he  was  hewn,  but  must  rejoice 
to  give  himself  entirely  and  without  reserve  to  God,  to 
be  sanctified  by  his  Spirit?  The  soul  that  has  truly 
experienced  the  love  of  God,  will  not  stay  meanly  in- 
quiring how  much  he  shall  do,  and  thus  limit  his  ser- 
vice ;  but  will  be  earnestly  seeking  more  and  more  to 
know  the  will  of  our  heavenly  Father,  that  he  may  be 
enabled  to  do  it.  O  may  we  both  be  thus  minded ; 
may  we  experience  Christ  to  be  our  all  in  all,  not 
only  as  our  Redeemer,  but  as  the  fountain  of  grace. 
Those  passages  of  the  word  of  God  which  you  have 
quoted  on  this  head,  are  indeed  awakening;  may  they 
teach  us  to  breathe  after  holiness,  to  be  more  and  more 
dead  to  the  world  but  alive  unto  God,  through  Jesus 
Christ.  We  are  lights  in  the  world  ;  how  needful,  then 
that  our  tempers  and  lives  should  manifest  our  high 
and  heavenly  calling  !  Let  us,  as  we  do,  provoke  one 
another  to  good  works,  not  doubting  but  that  God  will 
bless  our  feeble  endeavors  to  his  glory. 

"  I  have  to  bless  him  for  another  mercy  I  have  re- 
ceived in  addition  to  the  multitude  of  which  I  am  so 
unworthy,  in  his  having  given  me  a  friend  indeed,  one 
who  has  made  much  about  the  same  advances  in  reli- 
gion as  myself.  We  took  our  degrees  together,  but 
Mr.  Simeon  introduced  us  to  each  other.  I  do  not 
wonder  much  at  the  backwardness  you  complain  of 

before ,  having  never  been  in  much  company.  But 

the  Christian  heart  is  ever  overflowing  with  good- 
will to  the  rest  of  mankind  ;  and  this  temper  will  pro- 
duce the  truest  politeness,  of  which  the  affected  grimace 


28  MEMOIR   OF 

of  ungodly  men  is  but  the  shadow.  Besides,  the  eon- 
fusion  felt  in  company  arises  in  general  from  vanity : 
therefore,  when  this  is  removed,  why  should  we  fear 
to  speak  before  the  whole  world  . 

"  The  gownsman  I  mentioned,  so  far  from  being  of- 
fended, has  been  thanking  me  for  what  I  said,  and  is 
so  seriously  impressed  with  the  awful  circumstances 
of  death,  that  I  am  in  hopes  it  may  be  the  foundation 
of  a  lasting  change." 

It  will  be  highly  pleasing  to  the  reader  to  know,  that 
the  anticipation  with  which  the  above  letter  concludes 
was  verified.  Mr.  Martyn  had  afterwards  the  happiness 
of  laboring  in  India  together  with  that  very  person 
who  had  been  reproved  by  him,  and  who,  from  the 
divine  blessing  accompanying  that  reproof,  was  then 
first  led  to  appreciate  the  value  of  the  Gospel. 

From  this  time  to  that  of  proposing  himself  for  ad- 
mission to  a  fellowship  in  his  college,  Mr.  Martyn's 
engagements  consisted  chiefly  in  instructing  some 
pupils,  and  in  preparing  himself  for  the  examination 
which  was  to  take  place  previous  to  the  election  in  the 
month  of  March,  1802,  when  he  was  chosen  fellow  of 
St.  John's;  soon  after  obtaining  which  situation,  as 
honorable  to  the  society  in  the  appointment,  as  it  was 
gratifying  to  himself,  he  employed  some  of  his  leisure 
hours,  as  he  expresses  it,  in  writing  for  one  of  the 
prizes  which  are  given  to  those  who  have  been  last 
admitted  Bachelors  of  Arts :  and  though  there  were 
men  of  great  classical  celebrity  among  those  who  con- 
tested the  palm  with  him,  the  first  prize  was  assigned 
to  him  for  the  best  Latin  prose  composition  ;  a  distinc- 
tion the  more  remarkable   as   from  his  entrance  into 


HENRY    MARTYN.  29 

the  University,  he  had  directed  an  unceasing  and  al- 
most undivided  attention  to  mathematics.  Having  thus 
added  another  honor  to  those  for  which  he  had  before 
been  so  signally  distinguished,  Mr.  Martyn  departed 
from  Cambridge,  on  a  visit  to  his  relations  in  Corn- 
wall j  making  a  circuit  on  foot  through  Wenlock,  Li- 
verpool, and  the  vale  of  Langollen.  Of  this  tour  (on 
which  he  was  first  attended  by  one  of  his  friends)  he 
has  left  a  Journal,  briefly  and  hastily  written,  from 
which  a  few  extracts,  illustrative  of  his  character,  may 
prove  not  uninteresting. 

"  July  9,  1802.— We  walked  into  Wenlock,  along  a 
most  romantic  road.  My  mind  during  these  three  days 
has  been  less  distracted  than  I  expected ;  and  I  have 
had,  at  times,  a  very  cheering  sense  of  the  presence  of 
my  God. 

"  July  17.— I  went  on  board  a  little  sloop,  and  be- 
gan to  beat  down  the  Mersey.  The  Mersey  is  here 
more  than  four  miles  broad,  and  the  wind  now  increas- 
ing almost  to  a  storm,  the  ship  was  a  scene  of  confu- 
sion. One  wave  broke  over  us,  and  wetted  me  com- 
pletely through.  I  think  there  was  some  danger,  though 
the  composure  I  felt  did  not  arise,  I  fear,  so  much  from 
a  sense  of  my  acceptance  with  God,  as  from  thinking 
the  danger  not  to  be  great.  I  had  still  sufficiently  near 
views  of  death  to  be  uneasy  at  considering  how  sloth- 
ful I  had  been  in  doing  the  Lord's  work,  and  how  little 
meetness  I  possessed  for  the  kingdom  of  glory.  Learn 
then,  O  my  soul,  to  be  always  ready  for  the  coming  of 
the  Lord ;  that  no  disquieting  fear  may  arise  to  per- 
plex thee  in  that  awful  hour. 

"  July  23.— Holywell.    Found  myself  very  low  and 


30  MEMOIR  OF 

melancho/y.  If  this  arises  from  solitude,  I  have  little 
pleasure  to  expect  from  my  future  tour.  I  deserve  to 
be  miserable,  and  I  wish  to  be  so  if  ever  I  seek  my 
pleasure  in  any  thing  but  God. 

"  July  25. — Carewys.  I  did  not  go  to  church  this 
morning,  as  the  service  was  in  Welch ;  but  went 
through  the  church  service  at  home:  in  the  evening 
read  Isaiah. 

"  July  29.— Aber.  Walked  two  miles  into  the  coun- 
try to  see  a  waterfall.  I  followed  the  course  of  the 
stream,  which  soon  brought  me  to  it.  The  water  falls 
three  times  from  the  top — the  last  fall  appeared  to  be 
about  seventy  feet.  While  lingering  about  here,  I  was 
put  into  great  terror  by  some  huge  stones  rolling  down 
the  hill  behind  me.  They  were  thrown  down  by  some 
persons  above,  who  could  not  approach  near  enough 
to  the  precipice  to  see  me  below.  The  slippeiiness  of 
the  rocks,  on  which  the  spring  is  continually  falling, 
put  me  in  danger. 

"  The  beautiful  and  retired  situation  of  the  inn  at 
Aber,  which  commands  an  extensive  view  of  the  sea, 
made  me  unwilling  to  leave  the  house.  However,  I  set 
off  at  eleven,  and  paced  leisurely  to  Bangor.  It  was  a 
remarkably  clear  day.  The  sun  shone  on  every  object 
around  me,  and  the  sea  breeze  tempered  the  air.  I  felt 
happy  at  the  sight,  and  could  not  help  being  struck 
with  the  beauty  of  the  creation  and  the  goodness  of  the 
God  of  nature. 

"  July  31. — Bethgelert.  The  descent,  after  ascend- 
ing Snowdon,  was  easy  enough,  but  I  cannot  describe 
the  horror  of  the  ascent.  The  deep  darkness  of  the 
night,  the  howling  of  the  wind  in  the  chasms  of  the 


HENRY    MARTYN.  31 

rocks,  the  violence  of  the  rain,  and  the  sullen  silence 
of  the  guide,  who  was  someiimes  so  far  back  that  I 
could  hardly  see  him,  all  conspired  to  make  the  whole 
appear  a  dream. 

"  — Pont  Aberglasslen.  I  met  a  poor  Welch  pedlar, 
with  a  bundle  of  hats  on  his  back,  who,  on  my  inquir- 
ing the  distance  to  Tan-y-Bwlch,  told  me  he  was  going 
thither.  He  went  by  the  old  road,  which  is  two  miles 
nearer.  It  passes  over  the  most  dreary,  uncultivated 
hills  I  ever  saw,  where  there  is  scarcely  any  mark  of 
human  industry.  The  road  in  most  places  is  over- 
grown with  grass.  The  poor  man  had  walked  from 
Carnarvon  that  day,  with  an  enormous  bundle;  and 
pointed  with  a  sorrowful  look  to  his  head  ;  and  indeed 
he  did  look  very  ill ;  he  was  however  very  cheerful : 
what  difference  in  this  man's  temper  and  my  own! 
The  difference  was  humbling  to  myself:  when  shall 
I  learn  '  in  whatsoever  state  I  am,  therewith  to  be 
content  V 

"  August  5. — My  walk  for  ten  miles  was  similar  to 
that  of  the  preceding  evening,  only  still  more  beautiful, 
for  the  Dovey  widened  continually,  and  the  opposite 
hills  were  covered  with  wood :  at  last,  the  river  fell  into 
the  sea,  and  the  viaw  was  then  fine  indeed  ;  the  weather 
was  serene,  and  the  sea  unruffled.  I  felt  little  fatigue ; 
and  so  my  thoughts  were  turned  to  God.  But  if  I  can- 
not be  thankful  to  him,  and  be  sensible  of  his  presence 
in  seasons  of  fatigue,  how  can  I  distinguish  the  work- 
ing of  the  Spirit  from  the  ebullitions  of  animal  joy?" 

It  is  in  scenes  and  seasons  of  solitude  and  relaxation, 
such  as  those  here  described,  that  the  true  bias  of  the 
mind  is  apt  to  discover  itself;  in  which  point  of  view 


32  MEMOIR   OF 

the  above  account  is  important;  for,  short  as  it  is,  it 
evinces  an  habitual  devotedness  to  the  fear  of  God,  and 
great  spirituality  in  the  affections. 

This  tour  terminated  in  bringing  Mr.  Martyn  to  the 
bosom  of  his  family ;  and  days  more  delightful  than 
those  which  he  then  spent,  he  never  saw  in  this  world. 
The  affectionate  reception  he  met  with  from  his  friends ; 
the  pious  conversation  he  held  with  his  sister  on  the 
things  dearest  to  his  heart ;  his  sacred  retirements  ;  and 
the  happy  necessity  imposed  upon  him  of  almost  ex- 
clusively studying  the  word  of  God — all  conspired  to 
promote  his  felicity.  These  hours  left  for  a  long  time 
"  a  fragrancy  upon  his  mind,  and  the  remembrance  of 
them  was  sweet." 

"  As  my  sister  and  myself*"  he  remarks,  "  were  im- 
proved in  our  attainments,  we  tasted  much  agreeable 
intercourse.  I  did  not  stay  much  at  Truro,  on  account 
of  my  brother's  family  of  children ;  but  at  Woodbery, 
with  my  brother-in-law,  I  passed  some  of  the  sweetest 
moments  of  my  life.  The  deep  solitude  of  the  place 
favored  meditation ;  and  the  romantic  scenery  around 
supplied  great  external  sources  of  pleasure.  For  want 
of  other  books  I  was  obliged  to  read  my  Bible  almost 
exclusively;  and  from  this  I  derived  great  spirituality 
of  mind,  compared  with  what  I  had  felt  before." 

In  the  beginning  of  October,  1802,  all  these  tranquil 
and  domestic  joys  were  exchanged  for  the  severer  en- 
gagements of  the  University;  and  the  conclusion  of 
this  year  constituted  a  memorable  era  in  Mr.  Martyn's 
life.  We  have  already  seen  him  becoming  the  servant 
of  Christ,  dedicating  himself  to  the  ministry  of  the 
Go 'pel,  experiencing  the  consolations  of  real  religion, 


HENRY   MARTYN.  33 

exhibiting  its  genuine  fruits;  we  are  now  to  behold 
him  in  a  yet  higher  character,  and  giving  the  most  ex- 
alted proofs  of  faith  and  love. 

God,  who  has  appointed  different  o"ders  and  degrees 
in  his  church,  and  who  assigns  to  all  the  members  of 
it  their  respective  stations,  was  at  this  time  pleased,  by 
the  almighty  and  gracious  influence  of  his  Spirit,  to 
call  the  subject  of  this  memoir  to  a  work  demanding 
the  most  painful  sacrifices  and  the  most  arduous  exer- 
tions— that  of  a  Christian  missionary.  The  immediate 
cause  of  his  determination  to  undertake  this  office,  was 
hearing  the  Rev.  Mr.  Simeon  remark  on  the  benefit 
which  had  resulted  from  the  services  of  Dr.  Carey  in 
India;  his  attention  was  thus  arrested,  and  his  thoughts 
occupied  with  the  vast  importance  of  the  subject.  Soon 
after  which,  perusing  the  life  of  David  Brainerd,*  who 
preached  with  apostolical  zeal  and  success  to  the  North 
American  Indians,  and  who  finished  a  course  of  self- 
denying  labors  for  his  Redeemer,  with  unspeakable 
joy,  at  the  early  age  of  thirty-two,  his  soul  was  filled 
with  a  holy  emulation  of  that  extraordinary  man ;  and, 
after  deep  consideration  and  fervent  prayer,  he  was 
at  length  fixed  in  a  resolution  to  imitate  his  example. 
Nor  let  it  be  conceived  that  he  could  adopt  this  reso- 
lution without  the  severest  conflict  in  his  mind :  for 
he  was  endued  with  the  truest  sensibility  of  heart,  and 
was  susceptible  of  the  warmest  and  tenderest  attach- 
ments. No  one  could  exceed  him  in  love  for  his  coun- 
try, or  in  affection  for  his  friends  ;  and  few  could  sur- 
pass him  in  an  exquisite  relish  for  the  various  and  re- 
fined enjoyments  of  a  social  and  literary  life.     How 

*  Published  by  the  American  Tract  Society. 


34  MEMOIR   OF 

then  could  it  fail  of  being  a  moment  of  extreme  an- 
guish, when  he  came  to  the  deliberate  resolution  of 
leaving  for  ever  all  he  held  dear  upon  earth?  But  he 
was  fully  satisfied  that  the  glory  of  that  Savior,  who 
loved  him  and  gave  himself  for  him,  would  be  pro 
moted  by  his  going  forth  to  preach  to  the  heathen ; 
he  considered  their  pitiable  and  perilous  condition ; 
he  thought  on  the  value  of  their  immortal  souls ;  he  re- 
membered the  last  solemn  injunction  of  his  Lord,  '  Go 
and  teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the 
Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost;'  an  in- 
junction never  revoked,  and  commensurate  with  that 
most  encouraging  promise,  '  Lo,  I  am  with  you  alway, 
even  unto  the  end  of  the  world.'  Actuated  by  these  mo- 
tives, he  offered  himself  in  the  capacity  of  a  missionary 
to  the  Society  for  Missions  to  Africa  and  the  East ;  and 
from  that  time  stood  prepared,  with  a  childlike  sim- 
plicity of  spirit,  and  an  unshaken  constancy  of  soul,  to 
go  to  any  part  of  the  world,  whither  it  might  be  deem- 
ed expedient  to  send  him. 

The  following  letter  to  his  youngest  sister,  written 
not  long  after  the  adoption  of  a  resolution  so  self-de- 
nying in  its  character,  and  more  particularly  some 
passages  copiously  extracted  from  his  private  journal, 
will  strikingly  exhibit  the  varied  exercises  of  his  mind 
at  this  interesting  and  most  trying  juncture.  From 
these  it  will  be  seen  that  he  steadily  contemplated  the 
sacrifices  he  must  make,  and  the  difficulties  he  might 
encounter;  that  though  sometimes  cast  down,  he  was 
yet  upheld  in  the  prospect  of  his  great  work,  by  Him 
who  had  called  him  to  it ;  that  his  notions  of  the  cha- 
racter of  a  missionary  were  elevated — his  supplications 


HENRY   MARTYN.  oO 

for  grace  and  mercy  incessant — his  examinations  oi 
his  own  heart,  deep,  and  sober,  and  searching ;  in  one 
word,  that  he  was  a  man  of  God,  eminently  endued 
with  '  the  spirit  of  power,  of  love,  and  of  a  sound  mind.' 
"  I  received  your  letter  yesterday,  and  thank  God 
for  the  concern  you  manifest  for  my  spiritual  welfare. 

0  that  we  may  love  each  other  more  in  the  Lord.  The 
passages  you  bring  from  the  word  of  God  were  appro- 
priate to  my  case,  particularly  those  from  the  first 
Epistle  of  St.  Peter,  and  that  to  the  Ephesians ;  though 

1  do  not  seem  to  have  given  you  a  right  view  of  my 
state.  The  dejection  I  sometimes  labor  under  seems 
not  to  arise  from  doubts  of  my  acceptance  with  God, 
though  it  tends  to  produce  them ;  nor  from  despond- 
ing views  of  my  own  backwardness  in  the  divine  life, 
for  I  am  more  prone  to  self-dependence  and  conceit ; 
but  from  the  prospect  of  the  difficulties  I  have  to  en- 
counter in  the  whole  of  my  future  life.  The  thought 
that  I  must  be  unceasingly  employed  in  the  same  kind 
of  work,  amongst  poor  ignorant  people,  is  what  my 
proud  spirit  revolts  at.  To  be  obliged  to  submit  to  a 
thousand  uncomfortable  things  that  must  happen  to 
me,  whether  as  a  minister  or  a  missionary,  is  what  the 
flesh  cannot  endure.  At  these  times  I  feel  neither  love 
to  God  nor  love  to  man,  and  in  proportion  as  these 
graces  of  the  Spirit  languish,  my  besetting  sins — pride, 
and  discontent,  and  unwillingness  for  every  duty — 
make  me  miserable. 

"  You  will  best  enter  into  my  views  by  considering 
those  texts  which  serve  to  recall  me  to  a  right  aspect 
of  things.  I  have  not  that  coldness  in  prayer  you 
would  expect,  but  generally  find  myself  strengthened 


36  MEMOIR   OF 

in  faith  and  humility  and  love  after  it :  but  the  impres- 
sion is  so  short !  I  am  at  this  time  enabled  to  give  my- 
self, body,  soul,  and  spirit,  to  God,  and  perceive  it  to 
be  my  most  reasonable  service.  How  it  may  be  when 
the  trial  comes,  I  know  not,  yet  I  will  trust  and  not 
be  afraid.  In  order  to  do  his  will  cheerfully,  I  want 
love  for  the  souls  of  men ;  to  suffer  it,  I  want  humili- 
ty :  let  these  be  the  subjects  of  your  supplications  for 
me.  I  am  thankful  to  God  that  you  are  so  free  from 
anxiety  and  care  :  we  cannot  but  with  praise  acknow- 
ledge his  goodness.  What  does  it  signify  whether  we 
be  rich  or  poor,  if  we  are  sons  of  God  ?  How  uncon- 
scious are  they  of  their  real  greatness — and  they  will 
be  so  till  they  find  themselves  in  glory  !  When  we 
contemplate  our  everlasting  inheritance,  it  seems  too 
good  to  be  true ;  yet  it  is  no  more  than  is  due  to  the 
kindred  of  '  God  manifest  in  the  flesh.' 

"  A  journey  I  took  last  week  into  Norfolk  seems  to 
have  contributed  greatly  to  my  health.  The  attention 
and  admiration  shown  me  are  great  and  very  dan- 
gerous. The  praises  of  men  do  not  now,  indeed,  flatter 
my  vanity  as  they  formerly  did ;  I  rather  feel  pain, 
through  anticipation  of  their  consequences :  but  they 
tend  to  produce,  imperceptibly,  a  self-esteem  and  hard- 
ness of  heart.  How  awful  and  awakening  a  considera- 
tion is  it,  that  God  judgeth  not  as  man  judgeth  !  Our 
character  before  him  is  precisely  as  it  was,  before  or 
after  any  change  of  external  circumstances.  Men  may 
applaud  or  revile,  and  make  a  man  think  differently  of 
himself;  but  He  judgeth  of  a  man  according  to  his 
secret  walk.  How  difficult  is  the  work  of  self-exami- 
nation !    Even  to  state  to  you,  imperfectly,  my  own 


HENRY    3IARTYN.  37 

mind,  I  found  to  be  no  easy  matter.  Nay,  St.  Paul 
says,  '  I  judge  not  my  own  self,  for  he  that  judgeth  me 
is  the  Lord.'  That  is,  though  he  was  not  conscious  of 
any  allowed  sin,  yet  he  was  not  thereby  justified,  for 
God  might  perceive  something  of  which  he  was  not 
aware.  How  needful,  then,  the  prayer  of  the  Psalmist, 
1  Search  me,  O  God,  and  try  my  heart,  and  see  if  there 
be  any  evil  way  in  me.'  May  God  be  with  you,  and 
bless  you,  and  uphold  you  with  the  right  hand  of  his 
righteousness;  and  let  us  seek  to  love;  for  'he  that 
dwelleth  in  love,  dwelleth  in  God,  for  God  is  love.'  " 

In  a  journal  replete  with  sentiments  of  most  ardent 
piety,  we  meet  with  the  following  reflections,  recorded 
in  the  interval  between  the  latter  end  of  the  year  1802, 
the  time  when  he  first  resolved  to  serve  Christ  as  a 
missionary,  and  the  autumn  of  the  year  1803,  when  he 
received  ordination. 

But  let  us  hear  his  reasons  for  keeping  such  a  record 
of  the  state  of  his  mind  : — "  I  am  convinced  that  Chris- 
tian experience  is  not  a  delusion ;  whether  mine  is  so 
or  not  will  be  seen  at  the  last  day;  and  my  object  in 
making  this  journal,  is  to  accustom  myself  to  self- 
examination,  and  to  give  my  experience  a  visible  form, 
so  as  to  leave  a  stronger  impression  on  the  memory, 
and  thus  to  improve  my  soul  in  holiness;  for  the  re- 
view of  such  a  lasting  testimony  will  serve  the  double 
purpose  of  conviction  and  consolation." 

Divided  as  Christians  are  in  judgment  respecting  the 
general  utility  of  a  religious  diary,  there  can  be  but 
one  opinion  amongst  them  respecting  the  uncommon 
excellence  of  the  following  observations. 

"  Since  I  have  endeavored  to  divest  myself  of  every 
4 


38  MEMOIR   OF' 

consideration  independent  of  religion,  I  see  the  diffi- 
culty of  maintaining  a  liveliness  in  devotion  for  any- 
considerable  time  together ;  nevertheless,  as  I  shall 
have  to  pass  the  greater  part  of  my  future  life,  after 
leaving  England,  with  no  other  source  of  happiness 
than  reading,  meditation,  and  prayer,  I  think  it  right 
to  be  gradually  mortifying  myself  to  every  species  of 
worldly  pleasure."—"  In  all  my  past  life,  I  have  fixed 
on  some  desirable  ends,  at  different  distances,  the  at- 
tainment of  which  was  to  furnish  me  with  happiness. 
But  now,  in  seasons  of  unbelief,  nothing  seems  to  lie 
before  me  but  one  vast  uninteresting  wilderness,  and 
heaven  appearing  but  dimly  at  the  end.  Oh !  how  does 
this  show  the  necessity  of  living  by  faith !  What  a 
shame  that  I  cannot  make  the  doing  of  God's  will  my 
ever-delightful  object ;  and  the  prize  of  my  high  call- 
ing the  mark  after  which  I  press  1" 

"  I  wras  under  disquiet  at  the  prospect  of  my  future 
work,  encompassed,  as  it  appeared,  with  difficulties; 
but  I  trusted  I  was  under  the  guidance  of  infinite  wis- 
dom, and  on  that  I  could  rest.  Mr.  Johnson,  who  had 
returned  from  a  mission,  observed  that  the  crosses  to 
be  endured  were  far  greater  than  could  be  conceived  : 
but c  none  of  these  things  move  me,  neither  count  I  my 
life  dear  unto  me,  so  that  I  might  finish  my  course 
with  joy.  Had  some  disheartening  thoughts  at  night, 
at  the  prospect  of  being  stripped  of  every  earthly  com- 
fort ;  but  who  is  it  that  maketh  my  comforts  to  be  a 
source  of  enjoyment?  Cannot  the  same  hand  make 
cold  and  hunger,  and  nakedness  and  peril,  to  be  a  train 
of  ministering  angels,  conducting  me  to  glory  V — "  O 
my  soul,  compare  thyself  with  St.  Paul,  and  with  the 


HENRY  MARTYN.  6\) 

example  and  precepts  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Was 
it  not  his  meat  and  drink  to  do  the  will  of  his  heavenly- 
Father  ?" 

"  Finished  the  account  of  Dr.  Vanderkemp,  and 
longed  to  be  sent  to  China.  But  I  may  reasonably 
doubt  the  reality  of  every  gracious  affection,  they  are 
so  like  the  morning  cloud,  and  transient  as  the  early 
dew.  If  I  had  the  true  love  of  souls,  I  should  long  and 
labor  for  those  around  me,  and  afterwards  for  the  con- 
version of  the  heathen." 

"  I  had  distressing  thoughts  about  the  little  pros- 
pect of  happiness  in  my  future  life.  Though  Cod  has 
not  designed  man  to  be  a  solitary  being,  yet  surely  the 
child  of  God  would  delight  to  pour  out  his  soul  for 
whole  days  together  before  God.  Stir  up  my  soul  to 
lay  hold  on  Thee,  and  remove  from  me  the  cloud  of 
ignorance  and  sin  that  hides  from  me  the  glory  of 
Jehovah,  the  excellency  of  my  God." — "  I  found  But- 
ler's Analogy  useful  in  encouraging  me  to  self-denial, 
by  the  representation  he  gives  of  this  life,  as  a  state  of 
discipline  for  a  better." — "  Since  adopting  the  Gospel 
as  the  ground  of  my  hope  and  the  rule  of  my  life,  I 
feel  the  force  of  the  argument  drawn  from  its  exalted 
morality.  In  so  large  a  work  as  the  Bible,  by  so  many 
writers,  in  such  different  ages,  never  to  meet  with  any 
thing  puerile  or  inconsistent  with  their  own  views  of 
the  Deity,  is  a  circumstance  unparalleled  in  any  other 
book." — "  Respecting  what  is  called  the  experience  of 
Christians,  it  is  certain  that  we  have  no  reason,  from 
the  mere  contemplation  of  the  operations  of  our  own 
minds,  to  ascribe  them  to  an  extrinsic  agent,  because 
they  arise  from  their  proper  causes,  and  are  directed 


40  MEMOIR   OF 

to  their  proper  ends.  The  truth  or  falsehood  of  pre- 
tences to  the  experience  of  divine  agency,  must  depend 
on  the  truth  or  falsehood  of  Scripture  ;  that  warrants 
us  sufficiently,  for  it  informs  us  that  it  is  '  God  that 
worketh  in  us,  both  to  will  and  to  do,  of  his  good  plea- 
sure;' which  passage,  while  it  asserts  the  reality  of 
God's  influence,  points  out  also  the  manner  of  his  act- 
ing, for  he  works  in  us  to  will  before  he  works  in  us 
to  do.  This  effectually  guards  against  fanaticism^  for 
no  one  will  pretend  that  he  can  ever  put  his  finger  on 
those  mysterious  springs  which  move  the  will,  or 
knows  what  they  be ;  and  therefore  he  cannot  say, 
now  God  is  exerting  his  influence.  He  may  reasonably, 
indeed,  and  ought  to  ascribe  every  good  thought  to 
God ;  but  still  every  good  thing  in  him  is  but  the  effect 
of  something  preceding  his  first  perception,  therefore 
is  posterior  to  the  moving  cause,  which  must  hence  be 
for  ever  concealed  from  the  immediate  knowledge  of 

man." — "  H came,  and  we  resumed  our  exercises 

of  reading  and  prayer.  Though  it  be  true  that  the 
more  strict  our  obedience  is,  the  more  evidently  does 
the  imperfection  of  it  appear,  yet  I  think  it  reasonable 
to  be  thankful  that  I  have  received  grace  to  stir  one 
single  step  this  day  towards  the  kingdom  of  heaven." 
"  After  my  prayers,  my  mind  seems  touched  with  hu- 
mility and  love ;  but  the  impression  decays  so  soon  ! 
Resolved  for  the  future  to  use  more  watchfulness  in 
reading  and  prayer." — "My  prayers  have  been  fre- 
quent of  late,  but  I  cannot  realize  the  presence  of  the 
Almighty  God:  I  have  not  enjoyed  communion  with 
him,  or  else  there  would  not  be  such  strangeness  in  my 
heart  towards  the  world  to  come."—"  In  mv  walk  out, 


HENRY    MARTYN-  41 

and  during  the  remainder  of  the  day,  the  sense  of  my 
own  weakness  and  worthlessness  called  me  to  watch- 
fulness, and  dependence  on  the  grace  of  Christ." — "  My 
soul  rather  benumbed  than  humble  and  contrite;  tired 
with  watchfulness,  though  so  short  and  so  feeble" — 
"  sudden  flashes  of  faint  affection  to-day,  which  raised 
self-satisfaction,  but  no  abiding  humiliation." — "  Talk- 
ed with  much  contemptuous  severity  about  conformity 
to  the  world ;  alas !  all  that  is  done  in  this  way  had 
better  be  left  undone." — "  This  was  a  day  when  I  could 
only  by  transient  glimpses  perceive  that  all  things 
were  '  loss,  for  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of 
Christ  Jesus  my  Lord.'  " 

"I  am  not  conscious  of  any  particular  backsliding 
from  God ;  I  think  my  prayers  have  been  more  earn- 
est; yet  the  views  of  my  own  heart  have  produced, 
not  humility,  but  discontent,  I  suppose  because  they 
are  grating  to  pride." — "  What  is  the  state  of  my  own 
soul  before  God ?  I  believe  that  it  is  right  in  princi- 
ple :  I  desire  no  other  portion  but  God  :  but  I  pass  so 
many  hours  as  if  there  were  no  God  at  all.  I  live  far 
below  the  hope,  comfort,  and  holiness  of  the  Gospel ; 
but  be  not  slothful,  O  my  soul ! — look  unto  Jesus,  the 
author  and  finisher  of  thy  faith.  For  whom  was  grace 
intended,  if  not  for  me?  Are  not  the  promises  made 
to  me?  Is  not  my  Maker  in  earnest,  when  he  declar- 
eth  that  he  willeth  my  sanctification,  and  hath  laid 
help  on  one  that  is  mighty  ?  I  will  therefore  have  no 
confidence  in  the  flesh,  but  will  rejoice  in  the  Lord, 
and  the  joy  of  the  Lord  shall  be  my  strength.  May  I 
receive  from  above  a  pure,  a  humble,  a  benevolent,  a 
heavenly  mind  !" 

4* 


42  MEMOIR   OF 

"Rose  at  half  past  five,  and  walked  a  little  before 
chapel,  in  a  happy  frame  of  mind.  Endeavored  to 
maintain  affectionate  thoughts  of  God  as  my  Father, 
on  awakening  in  the  morning.  Setting  a  watch  over 
my  first  thoughts,  and  endeavoring  to  make  them 
humble  and  devout,  I  find  to  be  an  excellent  prepara- 
tion for  prayer,  and  for  a  right  spirit  during  the  day. 
I  was  in  a  happy  frame  most  of  the  day ;  towards  the 
evening,  from  seeking  to  maintain  this  right  state  by 
my  own  strength,  instead  of  giving  it  permanency  by 
faith  in  Jesus,  I  grew  tired  and  very  insensible  to  most 
things.  At  chapel  the  sacred  melody  wafted  my  soul 
to  heaven :  the  blessedness  of  heaven  appeared  so 
sweet,  that  the  very  possibility  of  losing  it  appeared 
terrible,  and  raised  a  little  disquiet  with  my  joy.  After 
all,  I  had  rather  live  in  an  humble  and  dependent  spi- 
rit ;  for  then,  perceiving  underneath  me  the  everlasting 
arms,  I  can  enjoy  my  security." — "Amid  the  joyous 
affections  of  this  day,  I  quickly  forgot  my  own  worth- 
lessness  and  helplessness,  and  thus,  looking  off  from 
Jesus,  found  myself  standing  on  slippery  ground.  But 
Oh  !  the  happiness  of  that  state,  where  pride  shall  ne- 
ver intrude  to  make  our  joys  an  occasion  of  sorrow." 

"  Rose  at  six,  and  passed  the  morning  in  great  tran- 
quillity. Learnt  by  heart  some  of  the  first  three  chap- 
ters of  Revelation.  This  is  to  me  the  most  search- 
ing and  alarming  part  of  the  Bible;  yet  now  with 
humble  hope  I  trusted  that  the  censures  of  my  Lord 
did  not  belong  to  me  :  except  that  those  words — Rev. 
2 :  3, — '  for  my  name's  sake  thou  hast  labored  and 
hast  not  fainted,'  were  far  too  high  a  testimony  for  me 
to  think  of  appropriating  to  myself;  nevertheless  I  be- 


HENRY   MARTYN.  43 

sought  the  Lord,  that  whatever  I  had  been,  I  might 
now  be  perfect  and  complete  in  all  the  will  of  God." 
— "  Men  frequently  admire  me,  and  I  am  pleased ;  but 
I  abhor  the  pleasure  I  feel ;  oh  !  did  they  but  know 
that  my  root  is  rottenness !" — "  Heard  Professor 
Farish  preach  at  Trinity  Church,  on  Luke,  12 : 4,  5, 
and  was  deeply  impressed  with  the  reasonableness 
and  necessity  of  the  fear  of  God.  Felt  it  to  be  a  light 
matter  to  be  judged  of  man's  judgment;  why  have  I 
not  awful  apprehensions  of  the  glorious  Being  at  all 
times?  The  particular  promise — ' him  that  overcom- 
eth  will  I  make  a  pillar  in  the  temple  of  my  God,  and 
lie  shall  go  no  more  out ' — dwelt  a  long  time  in  my 
mind,  and  diffused  an  affectionate  reverence  of  God." 
I  see  a  great  work  before  me  now,  namely,  the  subdu- 
ing and  mortifying  of  my  perverted.will.  What  am  I, 
that  I  should  dare  to  do  my  own  will,  even  if  I  were 
not  a  sinner !  but  now  how  plain,  how  reasonable,  to  have 
the  love  of  Christ  constraining  me  to  be  his  faithful, 
willing  servant,  cheerfully  taking  up  the  cross  he  shall 
appoint  me." — "  Read  some  of  Amos  with  Lowth. 
The  reading  of  the  Prophets  is  to  me  one  of  the  most 
dilightful  employments.  One  cannot  but  be  charmed 
with  the  beauty  of  the  imagery,  while  they  never  fail 
to  inspire  me  with  awful  thoughts  of  God  and  of  his 
hatred  of  sin.  The  reading  of  Baxters'  Saint's  Rest 
determined  me  to  live  more  in  heavenly  meditation." 
— "  Walked  by  moonlight,  and  found  it  a  sweet  relief 
to  my  mind  to  think  of  God  and  consider  my  ways 
before  him.  I  was  strongly  impressed  with  the  vanity 
of  the  world,  and  could  not  help  wondering  at  the  im- 
perceptible operation  of  grace,  which  had  enabled  me 


44  'memoir  of: 

to  resign  the  expectation  of  happiness  from  it." — 
"How  frequently  has  my  heart  been  refreshed  by  the 
descriptions,  in  the  Scriptures,  of  the  future  glory  of 
the  Church,  and  the  happiness  of  man  hereafter  !" — 
"  I  felt  the  force  of  Baxter's  observation,  that  if  an  an- 
gel had  appointed  to  meet  me,  I  should  be  full  of  awe ; 
how  much  more  when  I  am  about  to  meet  God !" — 
"  In  my  usual  prayer  at  noon,  besought  God  to  give 
me  a  heart  to  do  his  will." — "  For  poor I  inter- 
ceded most  earnestly,  even  with  tears." 

That  one  thus  eminently  watchful  and  holy,  who 
"  counted  all  things  but  loss  for  the  excellency  of  the 
knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus  his  Lord,"  should  speak  of 
himself  in  the  strongest  terms  of  self-condemnation, 
will  appear  incongruous  to  those  only  who  forget  that 
the  prophet,  who  uttered  in  the  presence  of  Jehovah 
the  words  of  submissive  devotion,  "  Here  am  I,  send 
me,"  exclaimed  at  the  same  time,  in  the  lowly  lan- 
guage of  contrition,  "  Wo  is  me,  for  I  am  undone,  for 
I  am  a  man  of  unclean  lips  ;"  and  that  it  was  when  the 
Laodiceans  ceased  to  know  that  they  were  "  wretched, 
and  miserable,  and  poor,  and  blind,  and  naked,"  that 
they  became  defective  in  zeal  for  the  glory  of  their 
Savior.  Whoever  considers  that  tenderness  of  con- 
science is  found  always  in  an  exact  proportion  to  fer- 
vent desires  after  an  entire  conformity  to  the  divine 
image,  will  be  prepared  to  expect,  and  pleased  to  pe- 
ruse, such  humble  confessions  and  sacred  aspirations 
as  Mr.  Martyn's,  which  seem  to  bring  us  back  to  the 
days  of  Ephraim  the  Syrian,  and  St.  Augustine.  "  The 
essence  of  evangelical  humiliation,"  says  President 
Edwards,  in  his  treatise  on  the  Religious  Affections) 


HENBY   MARTYN.  45 

u  consists  in  such  humility  as  becomes  a  creature  un- 
der a  dispensation  of  grace,  consisting  in  a  mean  es- 
teem of  himself,  as  nothing,  and  as  altogether  con- 
temptible and  odious,  attended  with  a  mortification  of 
a  disposition  to  exalt  himself,  and  a  free  renunciation 
of  his  own  glory.  He  that  has  much  grace,  appre- 
hends, much  more  than  others,  that  great  height  to 
which  his  love  ought  to  ascend,  and  he  sees  better 
than  others  how  little  a  way  he  has  risen  toward  that 
height ;  and  therefore,  estimating  his  love  by  the 
whole  height  of  his  duty,  it  appears  astonishingly  lit- 
tle and  low  in  his  eyes.  It  most  demonstratively  ap- 
pears that  true  grace  is  of  that  nature,  that  the  more  a 
person  has  of  it,  with  remaining  corruption,  the  less 
does  his  goodness  and  holiness  appear,  in  proportion, 
not  only  to  his  past  deformity,  but  to  his  present  defor- 
mity, in  the  sin  that  now  appears  in  his  heart,  and  in 
the  abominable  defects  of  his  highest  affections  and 
brightest  experience.'  What  better  comment  can  be 
found  on  these  profoundly  scriptural  remarks  of  a  di- 
vine who  stood  singularly  high  in  Mr.  Martyn's  esti- 
mation, than  the  self-abasing  acknowledgments  which 
follow  ? 

"  What  a  sink  of  corruption  is  the  heart !  and  yet  I 
can  go  from  day  to  day  in  self-seeking  and  self-pleas- 
ing. Lord !  show  me  myself,  as  nothing  but  wounds 
and  bruises  and  putrefying  sores,  and  teach  me  to  live 
by  faith  on  Christ,  my  all." — "  I  fear  the  exemption 
from  assaults,  either  external  or  internal,  is  either  in  it- 
self a  bad  symptom  of  self-ignorance,  or  leads  to  pride 
and  self-seeking.  Reveal  to  me  the  evil  of  my  heart, 
O  thou  heart-searching  God." 


46  MEMOIR  OF 

"  I  feel  a  sad  strangeness  between  God  and  my  soul, 
from  careless,  unbelieving  prayer;  I  am  afraid  the 
work  of  grace  is  but  shallow.  I  pray,  but  look  not  for 
an  answer  from  above ;  but  while  I  consider,  at  the 
times  of  prayer,  every  grace  as  coming  from  God,  yet, 
in  the  general  tenor  of  my  course,  I  seem  to  lay  the 
greater  stress  on  my  own  endeavors,  heedless  of  the 
strength  of  Christ." — "  How  much  better  it  is  to  have 
a  peaceful  sense  of  my  own  wretchedness,  and  a  hum- 
ble waiting  upon  God  for  sanctifying  grace,  than  to 
talk  much  and  appear  to  be  somebody  in  religion !" 

"  O  my  God  !  who  seest  me  write,  and  recordest  in 
the  book  of  thy  remembrance  more  faithfully,  my  sins 
and  my  backslidings  ;  bring  down  my  soul  to  repent 
in  dust  and  ashes  for  my  waste  of  time,  carnal  compla- 
cency, and  self-sufficiency.  I  would  desire  to  devote 
myself  anew  to  thee  in  Christ ;  though  I  fear  I  hardly 
know  what  it  means,  so  great,  in  reality,  is  my  igno- 
rance of  myself." 

"Short  and  superficial  in  prayer  this  morning,  and 
there  undoubtedly  is  the  evil.  Read  Lowth ;  learnt 
the  15th  of  John ;  and  endeavored  faintly  to  be  draw- 
ing nigh  unto  God.  Read  Brainerd's  Journal  in  the 
afternoon.  At  Mr.  Simeon's  church  this  evening,  my 
mind  was  wandering  and  stupid.  His  sermon  was 
very  impressive,  on  Rev.  3:2.  Thanks  to  God  that, 
though  my  graces  are  declining,  and  my  corruptions 
increasing,  I  am  not  unwilling  to  be  reclaimed.  For 
with  all  this  evil  in  my  heart,  I  would  not,  could 
not,  choose  any  other  than  God  for  my  portion/' 
"At  dear  Mr.  Simeon's  rooms  I  perceived  that  I  had 
given  him  pain  by  inattention  to  his  kind  instructions. 


HENRY   MARTYX.  47 

Base  wretch  that  I  am,  that  by  carelessness  and  un- 
mortified  pride  I  should  thus  ungratefully  repay  his 
unexampled  kindness.  But  if  the  sense  of  ingratitude 
to  man  be  thus  painful,  what  ought  I  not  to  feel  in  re- 
ference to  God,  that  good  and  holy  Being,  whose  spa- 
ring mercy  keeps  me  out  of  hell,  though  I  daily  dis- 
honor Christ,  and  grieve  his  holy  Spirit !  But,  O  my 
soul !  it  is  awful  to  trifle  in  religion.  Confession  is  not 
repentance,  neither  is  the  knowledge  of  sin  contri- 
tion."— "  Hearing  I  was  to  meet  two  men  who  were 
not  serious,  I  felt  pride,  contempt,  and  discontent,  to 
be  the  torment  of  my  heart.7'  "  Condemned  myself  for 
not  exerting  myself  in  doing  good  to  man,  by  visiting 
the  sick,  &c.  Certainly  every  grace  must  be  in  exer- 
cise, if  we  would  enjoy  the  communion  of  the  perfect 
God.  'I  am  the  Almighty  God  ;  walk  before  me,  and 
be  thou  perfect.'  Every  wheel  of  the  chariot  must  be 
in  motion  to  gain  the  race." 

"I  found  a  want  of  the  presence  of  God  from  the 
fear  of  having  acted  against  the  suggestion  of  con- 
science, in  indulging  myself  with  reading  the  amusing 
account  of  Dr.  Vanderkemp,  instead  of  applying  to  the 
severer  duties  of  the  morning.  God  be  merciful  to  me 
a  sinner ! 

"  Was  in  a  composed  state,  but  security  led  to  pride. 
On  my  looking  up  to  God  for  pardon  of  it,  and  for  de- 
liverance from  it,  I  feel  overwhelmed  with  guilt.  How 
fast  does  pride  ripen  the  soul  for  hell !" — "  Retained  the 
manna  of  past  experience  till  it  putrefied  in  my  hand." 
— "  How  utterly  forgetful  have  I  been  this  day  of  the 
need  of  Christ's  grace,  of  my  own  poverty  and  vile- 
ness!    Let  me  then  remember,  that  all  apparent  joy 


48  memoir  or 

iii  God,  without  humility,  is  a  mere  delusion  of  Sa- 
tan."— "  This  is  my  birth-day,  and  I  am  ashamed  to 
review  the  past :  Lord  Jesus,  watch  over  me  in  this 
deceitful  calm  !  Let  me  beware  of  the  lethargy,  lest  it 
terminate  in  death.  I  desire  on  this  day  to  renew  my 
vows  to  the  Lord,  and  O  that  every  succeeding  year 
of  my  life  may  be  more  devoted  to  His  glory  than  the 
last." 

"  I  thought  that  my  fretfulness,  and  other  marks  of 
an  unsubdued  spirit,  arose  from  a  sense  of  my  cor- 
ruption, and  a  secret  dependence  on  my  own  powers 
for  a  cure.  Were  I  to  bring  the  maladies  of  my  soul 
to  the  great  Physician,  in  simple  reliance  on  his 
grace,  I  should,  with  many  other  benefits,  receive  a 
cure  of  that  bane  of  my  peace,  disappointed  arrogance, 
which  proudly  seeks  for  good  where  it  can  never  be 
found.  In  every  disease  of  the  soul,  let  me  charge 
myself  with  the  blame,  and  Christ  with  the  cure  of  it, 
so  shall  I  be  humbled  and  Christ  glorified." — "  I  do 
not  doubt  but  that  I  belong  to  God,  yet  I  am  afraid  to 
rejoice  in  that  relation.  I  do  not  live  in  the  sense  of 
my  own  helplessness,  and  therefore  do  not  perceive 
that  my  security  is  not  in  myself,  but  in  Jesus  Christ, 
the  same  yesterday,  to-day  and  for  ever." — "I  found 
that  the  omission  of  my  journal  had  been  attended 
with  bad  effects.  O  wretched  man  that  I  am !  If 
God's  word  did  not  unequivocally  declare  the  despe- 
rate wickedness  of  the  heart,  I  should  sink  down  in 
despair.  Nothing  but  infinite  grace  can  save  me.  But 
that  which  most  grieves  me,  is,  that  I  am  not  more 
humbled  at  the  contemplation  of  myself." 

"  When  I  look  back  on  every  day,  I  may  say  I  have 


HENRY   MARTYX.  49 

lost  it.  So  much  time  misspent ;  so  many  opportunities 
lost,  of  doing  good,  by  spreading  the  knowledge  of  the 
truth  by  conversation,  or  by  example ;  so  little  zeal  for 
God,  or  love  to  man ;  so  much  vanity,  and  levity,  and 
pride,  and  selfishness,  that  I  may  well  tremble  at  the 
world  of  iniquity  within.  If  ever  I  am  saved,  it  must 
be  by  grace.  May  God  give  me  a  humble,  contrite, 
childlike,  affectionate  spirit,  and  a  willingness  to  forego 
my  ease  continually  for  his  service." 

"  What  is  my  journal,  but  a  transcript  of  my  follies  ? 
what  else  is  the  usual  state  of  my  mind,  but  weakness, 
vanity,  and  sin?  0  that  I  could  meditate  constantly 
upon  divine  things;  that  die  world  and  its  poor  con- 
cerns might  no  more  distract  my  heart  from  God. 
But  how  little  do  I  know  or  experience  of  the  power 
of  Christ !  Truly  I  find  my  proneness  to  sin,  and  that 
generally  prevailing  ignorance  of  my  mind  by  which 
all  motives  to  diligence  and  love  are  made  to  disappear, 
to  be  my  misery.  Now  therefore  I  desire  to  become  a 
fool,  that  I  may  be  wise  :  '  the  meek  will  he  guide  in 
judgment.'" 

"  I  felt  humbled  at  the  remembrance  of  misspent 
hours,  and  while  this  frame  of  mind  continued,  all  the 
powers  of  my  soul  were  perceptibly  refreshed.  The 
last  three  chapters  of  St.  John  were  peculiarly  sweet, 
and  I  longed  to  love.  Mr.  Simeon  preached  on  John, 
15  :  12 ;  '  This  is  my  commandment,  that  ye  love  one 
another,  as  I  have  loved  you.'  I  saw  my  utter  want 
of  such  a  love  as  he  described  it :  so  disinterested, 
sympathizing,  beneficent,  and  self-denying.  Resolved 
to  make  the  acquisition  of  it  the  daily  subject  of  my 
future  endeavors."—"  I  cared  not  what  was  the  state 
5 


50  MEMOIR   OF 

of  pleasure  or  pain  in  my  heart,  so  that  I  knew  its 
depth  of  iniquity,  and  could  be  poor  and  contrite  in 
spirit;  but  it  is  hard  and  stubborn,  and  ignorant."— 
"Pride  shows  itself  every  hour  of  every  day;  what 
long  and  undisturbed  possession  does  self-compla- 
cency hold  of  my  heart !  what  plans,  and  dreams,  and 
visions  of  futurity  fill  my  imagination,  in  which  self 
is  the  prominent  object !" — "  In  my  intercourse  with 
some  of  my  dear  friends,  the  workings  of  pride  were 
but  too  plainly  marked  in  my  outward  demeanor ;  on 
looking  up  to  God  for  pardon  for  it,  and  deliverance 
from  it,  I  felt  overwhelmed  with  guilt.  I  was  unwill- 
ing to  resume  my  studies,  while  so  much  seemed  to 
remain  to  be  done  in  my  own  heart.  Read  Hopkins' 
Sermon  on  true  Happiness,  and  analyzed  it.  The  obe- 
dience required  in  it  terrified  me  at  first,  but  after- 
wards I  could  adore  God  that  he  had  required  me  to 
be  perfectly  holy.  I  thought  that  I  could  cheerfully 
do  his  will,  though  the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the  devil 
should  rise  up  against  me ;  I  desired  to  be  filled  with 
the  fruits  of  righteousness,  particularly  with  humility 
and  love  for  the  poor  of  Christ's  flock." 

"  Drew  near  to  the  Lord  in  prayer,  but  was  rather 
elevated  than  humbled  afterwards.  At  Mr.  Simeon's 
was  deeply  impressed  with  his  sermon  on  Eccles. 
8:11;  it  was  a  complete  picture  of  the  human  heart; 
and  when  he  came  to  say  that  they  sinned  habitually, 
deliberately,  and  without  remorse,  I  could  scarcely  be- 
lieve I  was  so  vile  a  wretch  as  I  then  saw  myself  to 
be.  It  was  a  most  solemn  discourse." — "  The  less  we 
do,  the  more  we  value  it ;  how  poor,  and  mean,  and 
pitiful  would  many  even  of  present  Christians  esteem 


HENRY    MARTTN.  51 

my  life !  Dear  Savior,  I  desire  to  be  no  more  luke- 
warm, but  to  walk  nigh  to  God,  to  be  dead  to  the 
world,  and  longing  for  the  coming  of  Christ." 

"  I  read  Hebrew,  and  the  Greek  of  the  Epistle  to  the 
Hebrews.  This  Epistle  is  not  only  not  most  uninterest- 
ing, as  it  formerly  was,  but  is  now  the  sweetest  portion 
of  the  Holy  Scripture  I  know ;  partly,  I  suppose,  because 
I  can  look  up  to  Jesus  as  my  High  Priest,  though  I 
may  very  often  doubt  whether  I  am  interested  in  him. 
Yet  O  how  free  is  his  love  to  the  chief  of  sinners !" 
"How  many  of  my  days  are  lost,  if  their  worth  is  to 
be  measured  by  the  standard  of  prevailing  heavenlv- 
mindedness  !  I  want,  above  all  things,  a  willingness  10 
be  despised.  What  but  the  humbling  influence  of  the 
Spirit,  showing  me  my  vileness  and  desperate  wicked- 
ness, can  ever  produce  such  an  habitual  temper !" 

"Mr.  Simeon's  sermon  this  evening,  on  2  Chron. 
32  :  31,  discovered  to  me  my  corruption  and  vileness 
more  than  any  sermon  I  had  ever  heard." — "  O  that 
I  had  a  more  piercing  sense  of  the  divine  presence  ! 
How  much  sin  in  the  purest  services  !  If  I  were  sitting 
in  heavenly  places  with  Christ,  or  rather  with  my 
thoughts  habitually  there,  how  would  every  duty,  but 
especially  this  of  social  prayer,  become  easy.  Memoria 
tua  sancta,  etdulcedotua  beatissima,  possideat  animam 
meam,  atque  in  invisibilium  amorem  rapiat  illam."* 

"  This  day  was  set  apart  for  a  public  fast.  I  prayed 
rather  more  than  two  hours,  chiefly  with  confession  of 
my  own  sins,  those  of  my  family,   and  the  church : 

*  May  the  sacred  remembrance  of  thee,  and  of  thy  most 
blessed  delight,  possess  my  soul,  and  bear  it  away  in  the  love 
of  unseen  tbin?*. 


52  MEMOIR    OF 

alas !  so  much  was  required  to  be  said  on  the  first  head, 
that  I  should  have  been  at  no  loss  to  have  dwelt  upon 
it  the  whole  day." — "  Suffered  sleepiness  to  prevent 
my  reading  to  my  servant :  it  is  hurtful  to  my  con- 
science to  let  slight  excuses  for  an  omission  of  duty 
prevail." — "  O  what  cause  for  shame  and  self-abhor- 
rence arises  from  the  review  of  every  day  !  In  morn- 
ing prayer,  as  usual  of  late,  my  soul  longed  to  leave 
its  corruptions,  to  think  of  Christ,  and  live  by  him.  I 
labored  to  represent  to  myself  powerful  considerations, 
to  stir  up  my  slothful  heart  to  activity,  particularly 
that  which  respects  giving  instruction  to,  and  praying 
with  people.  I  set  before  myself  the  infinite  mercy  of 
being  out  of  hell — of  being  permitted  to  do  the  will  of 
God — of  the  love  of  Christ,  which  was  so  disinterest- 
ed— how  he  passed  his  life  in  going  about  doing  good — 
how  those  men  who  were  truly  great,  the  blessed  apos- 
tles, did  the  same — how  the  holy  angels  would  delight 
to  be  employed  on  errands  of  mercy.  A  ray  of  light 
seems  to  break  upon  my  mind  for  a  moment,  and  dis- 
covers the  folly  and  ignorance  of  this  sinful  heart ;  but 
it  quickly  returns  to  its  former  hardness.  My  will  is  to 
sit  all  day  reading,  not  making  any  effort  to  think,  but 
letting  the  book  fill  the  mind  with  a  succession  of  no 
tions;  and  when  the  time  comes  for  reading  the  Scrip- 
ture and  praying,  then  it  recoils.  When  an  opportuni- 
ty offers  of  speaking  for  the  good  of  others,  or  assist 
ing  a  poor  person,  then  it  makes  a  thousand  foolish 
excuses.  It  would  rather  go  on  wrapt  in  self,  and  leave 
the  world  to  perish.  Ah  !  what  a  heart  is  mine  !  The 
indistinctness  of  my  view  of  its  desperate  wickedness 
is  terrible  to  me,  that  is,  when  I  am  capable  of  feeling 


HENRY    MARTYN.  53 

any  terror.  But  now,  my  soul !  rise  from  earth  and 
hell— shall  Satan  lead  me  captive  at  his  will,  when 
Christ  ever  liveth  to  make  intercession  for  the  vilest 
worm  ?  O  thou  !  whose  I  am  by  creation,  preservation, 
redemption,  no  longer  my  own,  but  his  who  lived — and 
died,  and  rose  again — once  more  would  I  resign  this 
body  and  soul,  mean  and  worthless  as  they  are,  to  the 
blessed  disposal  of  thy  holy  will !  May  I  have  a  heart 
to  love  God  and  his  people,  the  flesh  being  crucified  ! 
May  grace  abound,  where  sin  has  abounded  much ! 
May  I  cheerfully  and  joyfully  resign  my  ease  and  life 
in  the  service  of  Jesus,  to  whom  I  owe  so  much  !  May 
it  be  sweet  to  me  to  proclaim  to  sinners  like  myself, 
the  blessed  efficacy  of  my  Savior's  blood !  May  he 
make  me  faithful  unto  death  !  The  greatest  enemy  I 
dread  is  the  pride  of  my  own  heart.  Through  pride 
reigning,  I  should  forget  to  know  a  broken  spirit  : 
then  would  come  on  unbelief — weakness — apostacy." 
"  If  it  is  a  mercy  that  I  am  out  of  hell,  what  account 
should  I  make  of  the  glorious  work  of  the  ministry,  to 
which  I  am  to  be  called,  who  am  not  worthy  to  be 
trodden  under  foot  of  men." 

Thus  having  attained  to  a  degree  of  self-knowledge 
and  spirituality  equally  rare,  and  being  thoroughly  in- 
structed how  "  he  ought  to  behave  himself  in  the 
church  of  God — the  church  of  the  living  God — the  pil- 
lar and  ground  of  the  truth" — Mr.  Marty n  prepared  for 
the  solemn  rite  of  his  ordination,  which  was  adminis- 
tered at  Ely,  on  Sunday,  October  22,  1803:  "Blessed 
is  the  man  whom  Thou  choosest,  and  causest  to  ap- 
proach unto  Thee,  that  he  may  dwell  in  thy  courts;" 
P.saltn  45  :  4.  This  blessing  surely  rested  in  an  emi- 
5* 


54  MEMOIR   OF 

nent  degree  on  Mr.  Martyn :  for  what  a  contrast  does 
his  approach  to  the  altar  on  this  occasion  exhibit  to 
that  of  those  who  presumptuously  intrude  into  the 
6acred  office,  "  seeking  their  own  things,  and  not  the 
things  of  Jesus  Christ !"  Truly  might  he  affirm,  that 
he  was  "  inwardly  moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  to  take 
upon  him  that  office  and  ministration,  to  serve  God  by 
promoting  his  glory  and  edifying  his  people;"  and 
truly  did  he  resolve  to  "  give  himself  continually  to 
prayer  and  to  the  ministry  of  the  word."  Yet  his  self- 
abasement  was,  as  usual,  conspicuous,  and  he  bewailed 
having  presented  himself  for  admission  into  the  minis- 
try of  the  Lord  Jesus,  "  in  so  much  ignorance  and  un- 
holiness ;"  and  at  the  same  time  poured  out  his  prayer, 
that  he  might  have  "  grace  to  fulfill  those  promises 
which  he  had  made  before  God  and  the  people."  The 
awful  weight  of  ordination  vows  was  impressed  on  no 
one's  mind  more  deeply  than  on  his ;  the  thought  of 
his  responsibility  would  have  overwhelmed  him,  had 
he  not  been  supported  by  remembering  that  the  trea- 
sure of  the  Gospel  was  placed  "  in  earthen  vessels,  that 
the  excellency  of  the  power  might  be  of  God,  and  not 
of  man."  That  which  was  the  comfort  of  Polycarp,  was 
his  consolation — that  he  who  was  constituted  an  over 
seer  of  the  church,  was  himself  overlooked  by  Jesus 
Christ — and  that  in  the  discharge  of  his  office  as  pastor 
of  the  flock,  he  was  ever  under  the  gracious  superin- 
tendence of  that  great  and  good  Shepherd  who  "  laid 
down  his  life  for  the  sheep." 

A  circumstance  which  occurred  at  this  time  shows 
how  seriously  his  mind  was  affected.  From  a  consti- 
tutional delicacy  and  reserve,  no  one  had  naturally  a 


HENRY    MARTYN.  55 

greater  reluctance  than  Mr.  Martyn  to  obtrude  himself 
on  the  notice  of  others  in  the  way  of  admonition;  it 
was  a  task  from  which  his  feelings  recoiled.  Observ- 
ing, however,  with  pain  and  sorrow,  one  of  the  candi- 
dates for  ordination  in  an  apparently  careless  and  un- 
concerned state,  he  took  an  opportunity,  though  the 
party  was  not  personally  known  to  him,  of  admonish- 
ing him  privately  on  the  subject:  and  in  what  a  strain 
such  a  man  would  speak  at  such  a  moment,  may  more 
easily  be  conceived  than  expressed.  A  deep  conviction 
of  the  necessity  of  reproving  others,  and  not  suffering 
sin  to  remain  in  them,  often  induced  Mr.  Martyn  to  do 
violence  to  the  retiring  tenderness  of  his  disposition. 
He  felt  reproof  to  be  "a  duty  of  unlimited  extent  and 
almost  insuperable  difficulty" — but,  said  he,  "the  way 
to  know  when  to  address  men,  and  when  to  abstain, 
is  to  love;"  and,  as  love  is  most  genuine  when  the 
heart  is  most  abased,  he  resolved  not  to  reprove  others, 
where  he  could  conscientiously  be  silent,  except  he 
experienced  at  the  time  a  peculiar  contrition  of  spirit. 


CHAPTER  III. 

ENTERS  ON  HIS  MINISTERIAL  LABORS — ACTS  AS  EXAMINER  IN  THE 
UNIVERSITY — APPLIES  FOR  A  CHAPLAINSHIP  UNDER  THE  EAST 
INDIA  COMPANY — PURSUES  HIS  MINISTERIAL  LABORS — SUPREME 
REGARD  TO  PERSONAL  RELIGION VISITS  CORNWALL — SUFFER- 
INGS ON  LEAVING  ENGLAND. 

The  exercise  of  his  pastoral  function  Mr.  Martyn 
commenced  as  curate  of  the  Rev.  C.  Simeon,  in  "the 


56  MEMOIR   OF 

Church  of  the  Holy  Trinity"  in  Cambridge  ;  undertak- 
ing likewise  the  charge  of  the  parish  of  Lolworth,  a 
small  village  at  no  great  distance  from  the  University. 
There  it  was,  on  the  Sunday  after  his  ordination,  that 
he  preached  his  first  sermon,  on  the  following  words: 
"If  a  man  die,  shall  he  live  again? — all  the  days  of  my 
appointed  time  will  I  wait,  till  my  change  come;'" 
Job,  14:14.  After  delivering  his  second  sermon  at 
which  place,  on  the  succeeding  Sunday,  an  incident 
occurred  on  his  way  home,  which  he  recorded  in  his 
Journal,  and  which  could  not  well  be  effaced  from  his 
remembrance.  An  old  man,  who  had  been  one  of  his 
auditors,  walked  by  the  side  of  his  horse  for  a  consi- 
derable time,  warning  him  to  reflect,  that  if  any  souls 
perished  through  his  negligence,  their  blood  would  be 
required  at  his  hand.  He  exhorted  him  to  show  his 
hearers  that  they  were  perishing  sinners ;  to  be  much 
engaged  in  secret  prayer ;  and  to  labor  after  an  entire 
departure  from  himself  to  Christ.  "  From  what  he  said 
on  the  last  head,  (observes  Mr.  Martyn,)  it  was  clear 
that  I  had  but  little  experience;  but  I  lifted  up  my 
heart  afterwards  to  the  Lord,  that  I  might  be  fully  in- 
structed in  righteousness."  So  meekly  and  thankfully 
did  this  young  minister  listen  to  the  affectionate  coun- 
sel of  an  old  disciple. 

On  Thursday,  Nov.  10,  he  preached  for  the  first 
time  at  Trinity  Church,  to  a  numerous  and  earnestly 
attentive  congregation,  upon  part  of  that  address  of 
Jesus  to  the  woman  of  Samaria  : — "If  thou  knewest  the 
gift  of  God,  and  who  it  is  that  saith  unto  thee,  Give  me 
to  drink,  thou  wouldest  have  asked  of  him,  and  he 
would  have  given  thee  living  water,"  John,  4:10: 


HENRY    MARTYN.  57 

when  it  was  his  fervent  desire  and  prayer  to  enter 
fully  into  the  solemn  spirit  of  those  well-known  lines : 

11  I'd  preach  as  though  I  ne'er  should  preach  again ; 
11  I'd  preach  as  dying,  unto  dying  men." 

Nor  could  words  characterize  more  justly  the  usual 
strain  of  his  preaching:  for  whether  the  congregation 
he  addressed  were  great  or  small,  learned  and  refined, 
or  poor  and  ignorant,  he  spake  as  one  who  had  a  mes- 
sage to  them  from  God,  and  who  was  impressed  with 
the  consideration  that  both  he  and  they  must  shortly 
stand  before  the  Judge  of  quick  and  dead. 

The  burdens  and  difficulties  of  his  sacred  employ- 
ments lay  heavily  at  first  on  Mr.  Martyn's  mind,  and 
considerably  depressed  his  spirits;  but  he  endeavored, 
he  writes  in  a  letter  to  his  earliest  friend,  to  keep  in 
view  "  the  unreasonableness  of  his  discontent,  (who 
was  a  brand  plucked  out  of  the  fire,)  and  the  glorious 
blessedness  of  the  ministerial  work."  At  times,  he  con- 
fesses, he  was  tried  with  a  "sinful  dislike  of  his  paro- 
chial duty  " — and  seemed  frequently  "  as  a  stone  speak- 
ing to  stones" — and  he  laments  that  "  want  of  private 
devotional  reading,  and  shortness  of  prayer,  through 
incessant  sermon-making,  had  produced  much  strange- 
ness between  God  and  his  soul." — "Every  time,"  he 
remarked,  "that  I  open  the  Scriptures,  my  thoughts 
are  about  a  sermon  or  exposition,  so  that  even  in  pri- 
vate I  seem  to  be  reading  in  public,"  Young  ministers 
— those  especially  who  are  placed  in  extensive  spheres 
of  action — are  not  ignorant  of  the  temptations  of  which 
Mr.  Marty n  here  complains;  and  to  them  it  must  be 
a  consolation  to  be  assured  that  the  same  trials  were 


58  MEMOIR    OF 

not  unknown  to  one  of  the  most  devoted  and  most 
faithful  of  their  brethren. 

Added  to  those  duties  which  had  now  become  his 
peculiar  care,  and  in  which,  notwithstanding  some 
momentary  depressions,  he  continued  steadfast  and 
unmovable,  always  abounding  in  his  work — an  office 
of  another  kind  devolved  on  him  towards  the  close  of 
the  year  1803,  that  of  one  of  the  public  examiners  in 
his  college :  and  if  it  were  too  much  to  say  that  an 
examination  in  the  classics  at  St.  John's  lias  rarely 
been  conducted  more  to  the  credit  of  the  society,  or  to 
the  advantage  of  the  students,  or  to  the  honor  of  the 
examiner;  certainly  it  would  not  be  declaring  too 
much  to  aver,  that  never,  since  the  foundation  of  the 
college,  has  one  been  held  in  a  more  Christian  spirit, 
and  in  a  more  strict  accordance  with  that  extensive 
apostolical  injunction — "  Whatsoever  ye  do,  in  word  or 
deed,  do  all  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus."  The  vigi- 
lance with  which  Mr.  Martyn  prepared  for  this  duty, 
and  the  humility  with  which  he  speaks  of  himself 
when  engaged  in  the  execution  of  it,  show  that  his 
Christianity  was  of  the  highest  proof. 

"  I  read  Mitford's  History  of  Greece,  as  I  am  to  be 
classical  examiner.  To  keep  my  thoughts  from  wan- 
dering away  to  take  pleasure  in  these  studies,  required 
more  watchfulness  and  earnestness  in  prayer  than  I 
can  account  for.  But  earnest  ejaculation  was  effectual 
to  make  me  return  to  the  word  of  God  with  some  de- 
light. '  The  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God,' — and 
so  I  find  it.  I  was  obliged  to  reason  with  myself,  and 
to  force  open  my  eyes,  that  I  might  see  the  excellency 
of  divine  things.   Did  T  delight  in  reading  the  retreat 


HENRY    MAUTYN.  59 

of  the  ten  thousand  Greeks,  and  shall  not  ray  soul 
glory  in  the  knowledge  of  God,  who  created  the 
Greeks,  and  the  vast  countries  over  which  they  passed  ? 
I  examined  in  Butler's  Analogy,  and  in  Xenophon  ; 
how  much  pride  and  ostentatious  display  of  learning 
was  visible  in  my  conduct ! — how  that  detestable  spi- 
rit follows  me,  whatever  I  do  !" 

It  was  customary  with  Mr.  Martyn,  at  the  com- 
mencement of  a  new  year,  to  take  a  solemn  review  of 
the  time  past,  and  to  contemplate  his  future  prospects. 
In  the  review  of  his  journal  of  the  year  1803,  he  judged 
that  he  had  dedicated  too  much  time  to  public  minis- 
trations, and  too  little  to  private  communion  with  God. 
Yet  he  trusted  that  he  had  grown  in  grace,  inasmuch 
as  the  bent  of  his  desires  was  towards  God,  more  than 
when  he  first  thought  of  becoming  a  Missionary.  "  In 
heavenly  contemplation  and  abstraction  of  mind,"  he 
adds,  "  my  attainments  have  fallen  far  short  of  my  ex- 
pectation; but  in  a  sense  of  my  own  worthlessness 
and  guilt,  and  in  a  consequent  subjugation  of  the  will, 
and  in  a  disposition  for  labor  and  active  exertion,  I  am 
inclined  to  think  myself  gaining  ground.  My  soul  ap- 
proves thoroughly  the  life  of  God,  and  my  one  only 
desire  is  to  be  entirely  devoted  to  him ;  and  O  may  I 
live  very  near  to  him  in  the  ensuing  year,  and  follow 
the  steps  of  Christ  and  his  holy  saints.  I  have  resigned, 
in  profession,  the  riches,  the  honors,  and  the  comforts 
of  this  world :  and  I  think  also  it  is  a  resignation  of  the 
heart."  Then,  after  having  set  apart  a  day  for  fasting 
and  prayer,  he  besought  God  "  for  understanding  and 
strength,  to  fit  him  for  a  long  life  of  warfare  and  con- 
stant self-denial,  and  that  he  might  see  clearly  why 


60  MEMOIR   OP 

he  was  placed  here,  how  short  the  time  was,  and  how 
excellent  to  labor  for  souls,  and,  above  all,  to  feel  his 
desert  of  hell."  He  prayed  also  for  grace  to  "  enlighten 
him  in  the  dark  seasons  of  trouble  and  desponding 
faith  ;  that  he  might  not  shrink  from  cold  and  hunger, 
and  painful  labor,  but  might  follow  the  Lamb  whither- 
soever he  went."  His  soul  longed  for  perfection,  but 
he  "  feared  that  he  had  not  yet  learned  the  secret  of 
happiness — a  poor  and  contrite  spirit." 

In  the  early  part  of  the  year  1804,  Mr.  Martyn's 
expectations  of  becoming  a  missionary  were  consider- 
ably damped  by  the  very  trying  event  of  his  losing  all 
his  slender  patrimony  ;  a  loss  rendered  more  severe  to 
him  by  the  circumstance  of  his  younger  sister  being 
involved  in  the  same  calamity.  His  designs  of  leaving 
England  were,  in  consequence  of  this  disaster,  likely 
to  be  frustrated  ;  for  his  pecuniary  resources  were  cut 
off,  and  it  appeared  to  him  scarcely  justifiable  to  leave 
his  sister  in  actual  distress,  when  his  presence  in  Eng- 
land might  alleviate  or  remove  it.  In  order,  therefore, 
that  he  might  consult  some  of  his  friends  in  this  emer- 
gency, at  the  end  of  June  he  left  Cambridge  for 
London. 

The  situation  of  a  chaplain  to  the  East  India  Com- 
pany had  long  appeared  to  many  of  those  who  took  a 
lively  interest  in  him  and  his  work,  to  be  peculiarly 
eligible,  as  offering  singular  facilities  for  missionary 
exertions  among  millions  of  idolaters.  The  pecuniary- 
advantages  of  the  appointment  were  at  first  wholly  out 
of  their  contemplation;  and  for  himself,  when  it  was 
intimated  to  him  that  there  was  some  expectation  of 
his  leaving  England  in  the  capacity  of  chaplain  to  the 


HENRY   MARTYN.  61 

East  India  Company,  his  private  journal  contains  this 
remarkable  reflection : — "  Tlie  prospect  of  this  world's 
happiness  gave  me  rather  pain  than  pleas-we,  which 
convinced  me  that  I  had  been  running  away  from  the 
world  rather  than  overcoming  it."  That  unexpected 
change  which  had  now  taken  place  in  Mr.  Martyn's 
circumstances  caused  an  increased  anxiety  amongst 
his  friends  to  procure,  if  possible,  the  appointment 
which  before  they  had  deemed  so  desirable ;  and  they 
were  not  without  hopes  of  seeing  the  Mission  Church 
at  Calcutta  placed  under  his  pastoral  superintendence. 
Insuperable  obstacles,  however,  interfered  with  this 
arrangement,  and  "  a  veil  was  thus  cast  over  his  future 
proceedings." 

The  patience  which  Mr.  Martyn  manifested  under 
this  disappointment,  was  as  edifying  and  extraordi- 
nary as  the  watchfulness  which  he  exercised  over  his 
mind  during  his  visit  to  London,  lest  scenes  so  differ- 
ent from  those  at  Cambridge  should  prove  to  him  a 
source  of  distraction  and  dissipation.  He  speaks  at  this 
time  of  returning  on  one  occasion  to  his  room,  after 
having  been  much  abroad  and  making  many  visits, 
*' unable  to  remain  in  an  unholy,  dissipated  state,  and 
seeking  God  earnestly  in  prayer."  Whilst  waiting  at 
the  India  House,  he  employed  that  time  "  for  which," 
he  says,  "  he  would  have  given  any  thing  at  Cam- 
bridge," in  private  ejaculatory  prayer,  and  in  repeating 
passages  from  the  word  of  God ; — and  yet,  though  he 
ever  aimed  at  an  entire  abstraction  from  the  vanities 
of  the  world,  he  hesitated  not  to  allow  himself  the  full 
enjoyment  of  rational  and  refined  gratifications :  his 
observations  on  this  head  are  well  worth  recording: 
6 


62  MEMOIR   OP 

"Since  I  have  known  God  in  a  saving  manner,"  he 
remarks,  "painting,  poetry,  and  music  have  had 
charms  unknown  to  me  before.  I  have  received  what 
I  suppose  is  a  taste  for  them ;  for  religion  has  refined 
my  mind,  and  made  it  susceptible  of  impressions  from 
the  sublime  and  beautiful.  O  how  religion  secures  the 
heightened  enjoyment  of  those  pleasures  which  keeps 
so  many  from  God,  by  their  becoming  a  source  of 
pride  !" 

Unable  at  present  to  discern  the  cloud  which  should 
conduct  him  on  his  way,  Mr.  Martyn  resumed  his  mi- 
nisterial functions  at  Cambridge  with  ardor,  but  with 
a  heavy  heart.  The  affairs  of  his  family  affecting,  as 
they  did,  his  own  destination  as  well  as  his  sister's 
happiness,  were  no  light  pressure  upon  his  spirits;  in 
any  other  point  of  view,  they  would  scarcely  have  raised 
a  sigh,  and  certainly  would  not  greatly  have  disturbed 
his  composure.  But  when  "  most  oppressed,"  he  was 
enabled  to  find  comfort  in  reflecting  that  "even  such 
a  condition  was  infinitely  preferable  to  that  of  those 
whose  minds  were  discontented  in  the  pursuit  of  dan- 
gerous trifles." 

The  words  of  the  wise  man,  that  "  the  day  of  death 
is  better  than  the  day  of  one's  birth,"  can  apply  only 
to  those  who  practically  discern,  in  the  light  of  the 
Scriptures,  the  great  end  of  their  existence.  This  sub- 
ject was  ever  in  Mr.  Martyn's  contemplation  ;  and  that 
he  might  more  closely  consider  the  object  for  which 
he  was  created,  he  never  failed  in  making  a  particu- 
lar commemoration  of  the  anniversary  of  his  birth. 
"Twenty-three  years  have  elapsed"  (he  wrote  on  the 
18th  of  February,  1804)  "since  I  saw  the  light— only 


HENRY    MARTYN.  63 

four  of  which  have  been  professedly  given  to  God ; — 
much  has  been  left  undone ;  much  remains  to  be  done 
as  a  Christian  and  minister  j  yet  my  past  experience 
of  the  long-suffering  of  God  leaves  me  no  doubt  of 
being  carried  on  all  the  way.  I  feel  that  my  heart  is 
wholly  for  heaven,  and  the  world  mainly  behind  my 
back.  Praised  be  the  Lord  for  his  mercy  and  patience ! 
The  number  of  my  days  is  fixed  in  his  purpose : — O 
may  I  '  glorify  him  on  earth,  and  finish  the  work  he 
has  given  me  to  do.'" 

That  his  heart  was  "  wholly  for  heaven,"  is  evinc- 
ed by  the  following  reflection  on  a  conversation  in 
the  hall  of  St.  John's : — "At  dinner  they  were  talking 
of  stones  falling  from  the  moon.  My  imagination  be- 
gan to  ascend  among  the  shining  worlds  hung  in  the 
midst  of  space,  and  to  glance  from  one  to  another,  and 
my  heart  bounded  at  the  thought  that  I  was  going  a 
much  surer  way  to  behold  the  glories  of  the  Creator 
hereafter,  than  by  giving  up  my  time  to  speculations 
about  them." 

In  the  interval  which  passed  between  the  months  of 
February  and  June,  he  was  found  earnestly  laboring 
in  the  service  of  his  divine  Master.  He  preached  ani- 
mating and  awakening  discourses :  he  excited  socie- 
ties of  private  Christians  to  "watch,  quit  themselves 
as  men,  and  be  strong :"  he  visited  many  of  the  poor, 
the  afflicted,  and  the  dying:  he  warned  numbers  of 
the  careless  and  profligate: — in  a  word,  he  did  the 
work  of  an  Evangelist.  Often  did  he  redeem  time  from 
study,  from  recreation,  and  from  the  intercourse  of 
friends,  that,  like  his  Redeemer,  he  might  enter  the 
abodes  of  misery,  either  to  arouse  the  unthinking 


64  MEMOIR    OP 

slumberer,  or  to  administer  consolation  to  the  dejected 
penitent.  Many  an  hour  did  he  pass  in  an  hospital  or 
an  alms-house ; — and  often,  after  a  day  of  labor  and  fa- 
tigue, when  wearied  almost  to  the  extremity  of  endu- 
rance, he  would  read  and  pray  with  the  servant  who 
had  the  care  of  his  rooms ;  thus  making  it  his  meat 
and  drink,  his  rest  as  well  as  his  labor,  to  do  the  will 
of  his  heavenly  Father,  in  conformity  to  the  example 
of  Christ : 


-"  His  care  was  fixed, 


"  To  fill  his  odorous  lamp  with  deeds  of  light, 
11  And  hope  that  reaps  not  shame." 

The  delight  he  experienced  on  hearing  that  benefit 
resulted  from  his  exertions,  proved  to  him  an  ample 
recompense  for  every  sacrifice  of  time,  comfort,  or 
convenience ;  and  it  was  equalled  only  by  the  humility 
with  which  he  received  such  cheering  intelligence. 
';  I  was  encouraged  "  (he  observes,  on  receiving  a  com- 
munication of  this  nature)  "  and  refreshed  beyond  de- 
scription, and  I  could  only  cheerfully  and  gratefully 
offer  up  myself  to  God's  service :  but  it  was  at  the 
same  time  a  check  to  my  pride  to  reflect,  that  though 
God  might  in  his  sovereignty  bless  his  word  by  my 
mouth,  I  was  not  on  that  account  the  less  sinful  in  my 
ministrations."  On  another  occasion,  with  touching 
simplicity  and  true  lowliness  he  writes,  after  meeting 
some  of  his  flock  in  the  way  so  strongly  and  ably  re- 
commended by  the  present  Bishop  of  Chester— •' I 
spoke  for  twenty  minutes  on  '  Thy  will  be  done  on 
earth,  as  it  is  in  heaven.- — When  shall  I  pour  out  of  a 
full  heart  these  blessed  and  divine  truths  which  drop 


HENRY   MARTYN.  65 

from  these  lips  of  clay  !  An  old  woman,  at  the  conclu- 
sion, said,  'The  Lord  Almighty  bless  you  !'  This  un- 
expected benediction  encouraged  me  much." 

The  incalculable  value  of  habits  of  self-denial  seems 
never  to  have  been  more  deeply  impressed  upon  the 
mind  of  Mr.  Martynthan  at  this  time.  "A  despicable 
indulgence  in  lying  in  bed,"  he  says,  "gave  me  such 
a  view  of  the  softness  of  my  character,  that  I  resolved, 
on  my  knees,  to  live  a  life  of  more  self-denial;  the 
tone  and  vigor  of  my  mind  rose  rapidly :  all  those  du- 
ties from  which  I  usually  shrink,  seemed  recreations. 
I  collected  all  the  passages  from  the  four  Gospels  that 
had  any  reference  to  this  subject;  it  is  one  on  which 
I  need  to  preach  to  myself,  and  mean  to  preach  to 
others.  Whenever  I  can  say,  '  Thy  will  be  done ;' 
'teach  me  to  do  thy  will,  O  God,  for  thou  art  my  God  ;' 
it  is 'like  throwing  ballast  out  of  an  air-balloon;  my 
soul  ascends  immediately,  and  light  and  happiness 
shine  around  me."  Such  was  his  thirst  after  this  Chris- 
tian temper !  such  his  enjoyment  of  its  blessedness ! 

At  the  beginning  of  the  present  year  Mr.  Martyn 
was  apprehensive,  as  we  have  seen,  of  having  bestow- 
ed too  much  time  on  public  duties,  and  too  little  on 
those  which  are  private  and  personal.  He  was  fully 
persuaded  that,  in  order  to  take  heed  effectually  to  his 
ministry,  he  must,  in  obedience  to  the  apostolic  injunc- 
tion, 'take  heed'  primarily  '  to  himself;'  and  this,  in 
fact,  was  his  settled  course  and  practice.  He  would 
sometimes  set  apart  seasons  for  humiliation  and 
prayer,  and  would  frequently  spend  whole  evenings 
in  devotion.  Of  the  Bible  he  could  ever  affirm,  'Thy 
word  is  very  pure,  therefore  thy  servant  loveth  it.' 


66  MEMOIR    OF 

"  The  word  of  Christ  dwelt  richly  in  him  in  all  wis- 
dom." Large  portions  of  it  did  he  commit  to  memory, 
repeating  them  during  his  solitary  walks,  at  those 
times  when  he  was  not  expressly  meditating  on  some 
scriptural  subject,  which  was  his  general  custom;  and 
so  deep  was  his  veneration  for  the  word  of  God,  that 
when  a  suspicion  arose  in  his  mind  that  any  other 
book  he  might  be  studying  was  about  to  gain  an  un- 
due influence  over  his  affections,  he  instantly  laid  it 
aside,  nor  would  he  resume  it  till  he  had  felt  and  rea- 
lized the  paramount  excellence  of  the  divine  oracles : 
he  could  not  rest  satisfied  till  all  those  lesser  lights 
which  were  beginning  to  dazzle  him,  had  disappeared 
before  the  effulgence  of  the  Scriptures. 

How  much  he  loved  secret  prayer,  and  how  vigi- 
lantly he  engaged  in  the  exercise  of  it,  may  be  seen 
in  the  subjoined  remarks  on  that  subject :— "  I  felt  the 
need  of  setting  apart  a  day  for  the  restoration  of  my 
soul  by  solemn  prayer :  my  views  of  eternity  are  be- 
come dim  and  transient.  I  could  live  for  ever  in  prayer, 
if  I  could  always  speak  to  God.  I  sought  to  pause,  and 
to  consider  what  I  wanted,  and  to  look  up  with  fear 
and  faith,  and  I  found  the  benefit ;  for  my  soul  was 
soon  composed  to  that  devout  sobriety  which  I  knew 
by  its  sweetness  to  be  its  proper  frame.  I  was  engaged 
in  prayer  in  the  manner  I  like,  deep  seriousness;  at  the 
end  of  it,  I  felt  great  fear  of  forgetting  the  presence  of 
God,  and  of  leaving  him  as  soon  as  I  should  leave  the 
posture  of  devotion.  I  was  led  through  the  mists  of 
unbelief,  and  spake  to  God  as  one  that  was  true;  and 
rejoiced  exceedingly  that  he  was  holy  and  faithful.  I 
endeavored  to  consider  myself  as  being  alone  on  the 


HENRY    MARTYN.  67 

earth  with  him,  and  that  greatly  promoted  my  ap- 
proach to  his  presence.  My  prayer  for  a  meek  and 
holy  sobriety  was  granted  !  O  how  sweet  the  dawn  of 
heaven !" 

Nor  was  Mr.  Martyn  less  diligent  and  fervent  in  the 
yet  higher  branch  of  Christian  worship,  thanksgiv- 
ing. ;'  Let  me  praise  God,"  he  would  say,  "  for  hav- 
ing turned  me  from  a  life  of  wo  to  the  enjoyment  of 
peace  and  hope.  The  work  is  real.  I  can  no  more 
doubt  it  than  I  can  doubt  my  existence ;  the  whole 
current  of  my  desires  is  altered — I  am  walking  quite 
another  way,  though  I  am  incessantly  stumbling  in 
that  way."  "  I  had  a  most  blessed  view  of  God  and 
divine  things;  0  how  great  is  his  excellency  !  I  find 
my  heart  pained  for  want  of  words  to  praise  him  ac- 
cording to  his  excellent  greatness;  I  looked  forward 
to  complete  conformity  to  him,  as  the  great  end  of  my 
existence,  and  my  assurance  was  full.  I  said,  almost 
with  tears,  '  Who  shall  separate  us  from  the  love  of 
Christ  V  " 

It  has  been  well  observed,*  that  "  we  may  judge,  by 
our  regard  for  the  Sabbath,  whether  eternity  will  be 
forced  upon  us."  The  application  of  this  rule,  as  it  re- 
spects Mr.  Martyn,  will  discover  a  singular  meetness 
in  him  for  the  inheritance  of  the  saints  in  light.  His 
Sabbaths  were  Sabbaths  indeed — the  antepast,  often, 
of  that  rest  which  is  everlasting. 

Let  us  hear  his  own  description  of  his  happiness  at 
some  of  those  sacred  times  :— "  Before  setting  out  to 
go  to  Lolworth,  I  endeavored  to  cast  away  all  those 
contemptible  prejudices  and  dislikes  which  I  often  feci, 

*  Adams's  Private  Thoughts. 


68  MEMOIR   OF 

and  on  the  road  experienced  a  sweet  sense  of  the  di- 
vine presence,  and  happy  meditation  on  God  and  his 
truths.  I  was  thinking  of  the  love  of  Christ,  and  of  his 
unparalleled  humility,  and  that  to  him  belonged  all  the 
glory,  as  having  truly  merited  it.  I  felt  quite  devoted 
to  God  and  assured  of  his  love :  I  did  not  doubt  of 
having  been  apprehended  by  Christ,  (for  the  purpose, 
I  hope,  of  preaching  his  Gospel,)  and  during  the  ser- 
vice my  heart  was  full  of  love  and  joy." — "  At  church, 
this  morning,  my  heart  was  overflowing  with  love  and 
joy :  during  the  sermon,  which  was  an  exhortation  to 
diligence,  a  sense  of  my  unprofitableness  depressed  me ; 
but  in  my  ride  to  Lolworth  I  enjoyed  sweet  delight; 
every  breeze  seemed  to  breathe  love  into  my  heart ; 
and  while  I  surveyed  the  landscape,  I  looked  forward 
to  the  days  when  all  nations  should  come  to  the  moun- 
tain of  the  Lord's  house." 

By  those  who  forget  the  history  of  our  Lord's  life,  it 
might  be  conceived  that  one  so  blameless  and  harm- 
less as  Mr.  Martyn,  so  poor  in  spirit,  and  pure  in  heart, 
would  pass  on  his  way  unassailed  by  calumny  or  un- 
kindness.  But  those  who  draw  their  anticipations  from 
the  Scripture,  will  not  "marvel"  that  he  should  be 
called  to  endure  unjust  insinuations  and  aspersions, 
when  his  whole  life  was  devoted  to  the  welfare  of  his 
fellow-creatures.  Yet,  "  when  reviled  he  reviled  not 
again,  but  committed  himself  to  Him  that  judgeth 
righteously." — "  Is  not  this  sweet,  O  my  soul,"  he  ex- 
claimed under  a  trial  of  this  kind,  "  to  have  a  holy  God 
to  appeal  to  and  converse  with,  though  all  the  world 
should  turn  their  backs?"  And  it  should  be  remarked 
here,  that  his  patience  under  the  severe  and  unme- 


HENRY    MARTYN.  69 

rited  censures  of  others  was  not  that  which  is  some- 
times mistaken  for  it,  the  indifference  of  apathy,  or  the 
superciliousness  of  contempt ;  the  one  was  as  abhor- 
rent to  his  nature  as  the  other  was  to  the  principles  of 
his  religion.  Censorious  tongues  were  to  him  as  they 
were  to  David,  "  spears  and  arrows  and  sharp  swords :" 
so  far  from  being  callous  to  any  attempts  to  wound  his 
character  and  his  peace,  he  acknowledges  that  obloquy 
was  a  trying  exercise  of  his  Christian  temper,  and  he 
considered  the  dispensation  as  "  wholesome,"  because 
"  to  be  despised  by  men  affected  him  very  deeply." 
"  But  the  name  of  the  Lord  is  a  strong  tower — the 
righteous  runneth  into  it,  and  is  safe." — "  Conscious," 
said  he,  "  that  I  did  not  deserve  the  censures  that  were 
cast  upon  me,  I  committed  myself  to  God,  and  in  him 
may  I  abide  till  the  indignation  be  overpast !" 

Those,  however,  who  maligned  and  traduced  Mr. 
Martyn's  character,  wounded  his  spirit  far  less  than 
those  who  either  scoffed  at  his  high  and  self-denying 
designs  of  usefulness,  or,  from  worldly  motives,  dis- 
couraged him  from  attempting  their  accomplishment. 
No  one  could  be  more  ready  than  he  to  consider  the 
fittest  means  for  compassing  the  ends  he  had  in  view, 
and  to  weigh  beforehand  the  difficulties  attending  the 
life  of  a  missionary,  however  favored  by  external  cir- 
cumstances. But  objections  of  a  contemptuous  kind, 
or  those  arguments  which  founded  themselves  on  an 
ignorance  of  the  very  spirit  of  the  Gospel,  painfully 
affected  his  mind.  His  reflections,  after  a  long  dis- 
course with  a  person  who  had  addressed  him  with  the 
kindest  intentions,  but  with  a  judgment  unenlightened 
by  that  wisdom  which  is  from  above,  are  worth  pre- 


70  MEMOIR   OF 

serving : — "  All  our  conversation  on  the  subject  of  re- 
ligion ended  in  nothing.  He  was  convinced  that  he 
was  right,  and  all  the  texts  I  produced  were,  accord- 
ing to  him,  applicable  only  to  the  times  of  the  apostles. 
How  am  I  constrained  to  adore  God's  sovereign  mer- 
cy !  My  soul,  dost  thou  not  esteem  all  things  but  dung 
and  dross  for  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ 
Jesus  my  Lord  'I  Yea,  did  not  gratitude  constrain  me — 
did  not  duty  and  fear  of  destruction — yet  surely  the 
excellency  of  the  service  of  Christ  would  constrain 
me  to  lay  down  a  thousand  lives  in  the  prosecution  of 
it."  When  called  to  encounter  the  ridicule  of  those 
who,  not  knowing  the  hope  of  Christ's  calling,  nor  the 
riches  of  the  glory  of  his  inheritance  in  the  saints,  nor 
the  exceeding  greatness  of  his  power  towards  those 
who  believe,  despised  all  labors  of  love  amongst  the 
heathen  as  wild  and  visionary,  the  Lord  helped  him 
to  keep  his  ground,  and  to  bear  his  testimony.  "  With 
my  Bible  in  my  hand,  and  Christ  at  my  right  hand," 
said  he,  "  I  can  do  all  things:  what  though  the  whole 
world  believe  not,  God  abideth  true,  and  my  hope  in 
him  shall  be  steadfast." 

In  the  latter  part  of  the  spring  of  this  year  he  had 
the  singular  satisfaction  of  being  introduced  to  a  per- 
sonal acqt»  dntance  with  one  of  a  kindred  spirit  with 
himself—  tin  late  Henry  Kirke  White.  Rare  genius, 
and,  above  .ill,  sterling  piety,  could  not  fail  of  being 
greatly  admi  -ed  and  highly  prized  by  Mr.  Martyn ;  he 
consequently  vook  the  liveliest  interest  in  behalf  of  that 
extraordinary  young  man,  and  used  his  utmost  en- 
deavors to  fachtate  his  entrance  upon  that  course  at 
college,  which  afterwards  proved  so  brilliant  and  so 
transient. 


HENRY   MARTYN.  71 

The  duties  of  a  public  examiner  in  St.  John's  were 
now,  in  the  month  of  June,  for  the  second  time  con- 
signed to  Mr.  Marty n — the  subjects  for  examination 
being,  one  of  them  from  the  Classics,  the  other,  Locke's 
Treatise  on  the  Understanding.  To  those  who  embark 
in  metaphysical  disquisitions,  it  will  serve  as  a  matter 
of  caution — and  to  those  who  are  harassed  with  dis- 
tressing thoughts,  it  may  administer  consolation — to 
recite,  in  Mr.  Martyn's  own  words,  the  exquisite  men- 
tal sufferings  he  endured,  after  allowing  his  mind  a 
range  of  too  unlimited  a  nature  in  these  abstract  ques- 
tions. "  My  soul,"  he  writes,  "  was  filled  with  greater 
misery  and  horror  than  I  ever  before  experienced.  I 
know  not  how  to  describe  my  feelings,  or  how  I  got 
into  them — but  it  icas  after  metaphysical  inquiries  into 
the  nature  and  end  of  my  being,  and  in  what  consists 
the  happiness  of  my  soul.  I  was  afraid  to  leave  off  pray- 
ing, and  went  to  bed  earnestly  recommending  my  soul 
to  Christ" — "  I  tremble,"  said  he,  on  the  succeeding 
day,  "  to  enter  on  these  inquiries,  lest  my  beclouded 
reason  should  lead  me  to  the  brink  of  hell.  But  I  know 
by  experience  that  the  spirit  of  submission,  and  a  sense 
of  the  authority  of  God,  is  the  only  state  in  which  I 
can  ever  be  happy :  and  precisely  in  proportion  as  I 
depart  from  that  state  of  things,  I  am  unhappy.  And 
so  strong  is  this  sentiment,  that  were  it  not  my  hope 
that  I  should  one  day  wholly  submit  to  God  and  de- 
scend to  my  Tight  place,  I  would  not  wish  to  exist  ano- 
ther moment.  My  trust  is,  that  God  will,  according 
to  the  riches  of  his  grace  in  Christ  Jesus,  enable  a  poor 
worm,  who  groans  under  pride,  to  advance  steadily 
and  humbly  to  his  end,  and  preserve  him  from  those 


TZ  MEMOIR  Of 

dreadful  thoughts  which  almost  overwhelm  the  soul.** 
Thus,  when  in  danger  of  being  "  spoiled  by  philoso- 
phy," was  his  soul  "  upheld  by  the  free  Spirit  of  a 
faithful  God." 

It  now  appeared  to  be  past  a  doubt  that  Mr.  Martyn 
would  succeed  in  obtaining  a  chaplaiuship  in  the  ser- 
vice of  the  East  India  Company,  and  that  in  the  en- 
suing spring  he  would  be  summoned  to  leave  the 
shores  of  his  native  country  for  ever.  In  July,  there-- 
fore,  he  revisited  those  scenes  which  were  endeared  to 
him  by  numberless  early  associations,  and  enlivened 
by  the  presence  of  many  whom  he  admired  and  loved. 
And  here  it  is  due  to  the  full  illustration  of  his  Chris- 
tian character  to  mention,  that  it  was  not  merely  the 
ties  of  family  or  friendship  which  bound  him  to  Corn- 
wall; others  there  were  of  a  tenderer  if  not  stronger 
kind :  for  he  had  conceived  a  deeply-fixed  attachment 
for  one,  of  whom  less  ought  not,  and  more  cannot  be 
said,  than  that  she  was  worthy  of  him  :  an  attachment 
which — whether  he  thought,  as  he  afterwards  did, 
that  it  should  be  encouraged,  or  as  he  now  did,  that, 
from  peculiar  circumstances,  it  ought  to  be  repressed 
— equally  exhibits  him  as  a  man  of  God,  whose  affec- 
tions were  set  upon  things  above,  and  not  on  things  on 
the  earth. 

As  this  was  the  first  time  he  had  been  in  Cornwall 
since  his  ordination,  and  the  last  time  he  expected  ever 
to  visit  it,  he  was  extremely  anxious  to  testify  the 
grace  of  God  in  his  public  ministry,  whenever  he  had 
an  opportunity.  Such,  however,  was  the  prejudice  ex- 
cited against  his  religious  principles,  that  his  labors 


BE-\RY   MARTYN.  73 

were  almost  entirely  confined  to  two  clmrches  under 
the  care  of  his  brother-in-law.  There  he  frequently- 
preached,  and  there  both  his  sisters  heard  him,  the 
youngest  with  much  delight,  the  eldest  with  a  most 
gratifying  appearance  of  having  been  seriously  im- 
pressed by  what  fell  from  his  lips.  "I  found,"  said  he, 
'•  that  she  had  been  deeply  affected,  and  from  her  con- 
versation I  received  great  satisfaction :  in  the  evening, 
I  walked  by  the  water-side  till  late,  having  my  heart 
full  of  praise  to  God  for  having  given  me  such  hopes 
of  my  sister." 

To  the  churches  where  he  preached,  the  common 
people  crowded  in  numbers.  At  Kenwyn,  where  he 
addressed  them  from  2  Cor.  5 :  20,  21,  "  Now  then  we 
are  ambassadors  for  Christ,  as  though  God  did  beseech 
you  by  us ;  we  pray  you  in  Christ's  stead,  be  ye  re- 
conciled to  God.  For  he  hath  made  him  to  be  sin  for 
us,  who  knew  no  sin,  that  we  might  be  made  the  right- 
eousness of  God  in  him  ;" — the  church  was  so  full  that 
many  were  compelled  to  stand  on  the  outside,  and 
many  obliged  to  go  away.  How  acceptable  he  was  to 
those  who  loved  and  valued  the  Gospel,  may  be  easily 
conceived  5  yet  such  was  his  vigilance  of  mind  and 
tenderness  of  conscience,  that  "  their  commendations 
occasioned  him  some  pain,"  inasmuch  as  "  they  tend- 
ed to  fan  the  flame  of  vanity."  The  Christian,  espe- 
cially the  Christian  minister,  has  to  pass  through 
good  report  and  evil  report ;  and  praise  is  a  severer 
test  of  the  strength  of  his  principles  than  dispraise. 
Mr.  Martyn  ever  found  it  so  ;  and  he  experienced  him- 
self, as  well  as  exemplified  to  others,  the  truth  of  those 
words  of  wisdom — "as  the  fining-pot  for  silver,  and 
7 


74 


MEMOIR   OP 


the  furnace  for  gold,  so  is  a  man  to  his  praise."  ProV. 
27 :  21. 

In  the  private  and  more  retired  duties  of  his  calling 
he  was  now,  as  usual,  most  unremitting  in  his  attention : 
these,  in  fact,  were  to  him  the  most  delightful  parts  of 
his  vocation.  Happier  would  he  have  esteemed  it,  as 
far  as  his  personal  feelings  were  concerned,  to  kneel, 
as  he  did  frequently  with  his  youngest  sister,  beside 
the  beds  of  the  sick  and  dying,  than  to  have  had  the 
largest  churches  in  his  native  country  thronged  with 
multitudes  attentive  to  hear  him:  he  was  of  the  spirit 
of  that  Redeemer,  who  sought  to  be  hid  whilst  he  went 
about  doing  good. 

His  habits  of  reading  and  prayer,  and  particularly 
those  of  divine  meditation,  were  in  no  degree  relaxed 
during  his  visit,  and  the  less  so,  because  he  acknow- 
ledged that  "  he  felt  an  increased  difficulty  of  living  in 
communion  with  God,  where  so  many  remembered 
him  in  a  different  character."  The  solitude  of  the  spot 
where  he  resided  was  happily  fitted  for  contemplation : 
"The  scene,"  he  wrote,  in  a  letter  to  a  friend  from 
Lamorran,  "  is  such  as  is  frequently  to  be  met  with  in 
this  part  of  Cornwall.  Below  the  house  is  an  arm  of 
the  sea,  flowing  between  the  hills,  which  are  covered 
with  wood.  By  the  side  of  this  water  I  walk  in  gene- 
ral in  the  evening,  out  of  the  reach  of  all  sound  but  the 
rippling  of  the  waves  and  the  whistling  of  the  curlew." 
In  these  pensive  and  solitary  walks,  the  great  sacri- 
fices he  was  about  to  make  could  not  but  force  them- 
selves frequently  upon  his  mind,  and  raise  the  silent 
and  involuntary  sigh :  but  we  may  be  well  assured, 
that  "  in  the  multitude  of  the  thoughts  which  he  had  in 
his  heart,  God's  comforts  refreshed  his  soul." 


HENRY    MARTYN.  70 

At  length,  after  having  withstood  in  Cornwall,  as 
well  as  at  Cambridge,  the  arguments  of  those  who  "  at 
all  events  would  have  detained  him  in  England," — 
arguments  of  which  he  confesses  that  "  some  were  not 
without  weight," — he  prepared  to  leave  that  part  of 
his  native  country  which  was  peculiarly  dear  to  his 
feeling  and  affectionate  heart. 

The  separations  of  Christians  from  each  other,  in 
this  world  of  mutability,  afflictive  as  they  ever  must 
be,  have  their  peculiar  alleviations :  they  know  that 
Christ  "fills  all  things," — and  they  have  the  blissful 
expectation  of  an  endless  re-union  in  that  world  of 
glory  whither  they  are  hastening. 

Mr.  Martyn,  with  respect  to  several  from  whom  he 
was  now  to  part,  could  fully  indulge  in  these  animated 
anticipations :  but  he  could  not  as  it  respected  all. 
The  following  is  a  mournful  record  of  a  final  inter- 
view, overclouded  by  the  gloom  of  an  almost  hopeless 

eorrow.    "M rode  with  me  part  of  the  way,  but 

kept  the  conversation  on  general  subjects.  If  I  brought 
him  by  force  to  religion,  he  spoke  with  the  most  as- 
tonishing apathy  on  the  subject.  His  cold,  deliberate 
superiority  to  every  thing  but  argument,  convinced 
me  not  merely  that  he  was  not  only  fully  convinced, 
as  he  said,  but  that  he  was  rooted  in  infidelity.  No- 
thing remained  for  me  but  to  pray  for  him.  Though 
he  parted  from  me  probably  to  see  me  no  more,  he 
said  nothing  that  could  betray  the  existence  of  any 
passions  in  him.  O  cursed  infidelity,  that  freezes  the 
heart's  blood  here,  as  well  as  destroys  the  soul  here- 
after! I  could  only  adore  the  sovereign  grace  of  God, 
which  distinguished  me  from  him,  though  every  thing 


76  MEMOIR    OF 

was  alike  in  us.  We  have  been  intimate  from  our  in- 
fanc)f,  and  have  had  the  same  plans  and  pursuits,  and 
nearly  the  same  condition  :  but  the  one  is  taken  and 
the  other  is  left.  I,  through  mercy,  find  my  only  joy 
and  delight  in  the  knowledge  of  Christ ;  and  he  in  de- 
nying the  truth  of  religion  altogether." 

By  another  farewell  which  he  has  also  depicted,  he 
could  not  but  be  otherwise  than  very  deeply  affected  : 
but  the  sorrow  was  of  a  character  very  dissimilar  to 

the  last.   "  Rode  before  E ,  with  L ,  to  an  old 

man  five  miles  off.  Our  conversation  was  such  as  be- 
cometh  saints,  but  it  was  too  pleasant  for  me.  I  sighed 
at  the  thought  of  losing  their  company.  When  we  ar- 
rived, the  old  man  was  out,  but  his  sister,  a  blind  wo- 
man of  seventy,  was  confined  to  her  bed,  without  any 

comfortable  hope.  L and  myself  said  every  thing 

we  could  to  cheer  her,  and  then  I  prayed.  When  the 
old  man  arrived,  we  formed  a  little  circle  before  the 
door,  under  the  trees,  and  he  conversed  with  his  young 
hearers  concerning  the  things  of  God.  I  then  read 
Psalm  84.  Our  ride  home  was  delightful,  our  hearts 
being  all  devoutly  disposed  ;  only  mine  was  unhappy. 

Parted  Math  L for  ever  in  this  life,  with  a  sort  of 

uncertain  pain  which  I  knew  would  increase  to  greater 
violence." 

These  forebodings  were  but  too  soon  realized.  On 
the  evening  of  that  day,  and  for  many  succeeding 
days,  his  mental  agony  was  extreme;  yet  he  could 
speak  to  God,  as  one  who  knew  the  great  conflict 
within  him  ;  he  was  convinced,  that  as  God  willed  his 
happiness,  he  was  providing  for  it  eventually  by  -thai 
bitter  separation  :  he  resolved,  through  grace,  to  be  his 


HENRY    MARTYN.  77 

though  it  should  be  through  much  tribulation:  he  ex- 
perienced sweetly  and  solemnly  the  excellence  of  serv- 
ing him  faithfully,  and  of  following  Christ  and  his 
Apostles:  he  meditated  with  great  joy  on  the  end  of 
this  world,  and  enjoyed  the  thought  of  walking,  as  he 
now  does,  with  her  from  whom  he  was  then  removed, 
in  the  realms  of  glory. 

But  Mr.  Martyn  had  not  filled  up  the  measure  of  his 
sufferings,  having  not  yet  bid  adieu  to  his  sisters. 
With  the  eldest  he  spent  one  melancholy  evening  in 
exhorting  her  for  the  last  time,  and  endeavoring  to 
comfort  her ;  and  on  the  succeeding  day  he  took  leave 
of  the  youngest :  "  they  parted  as  if  to  meet  no  more," 
and,  overwhelmed  with  inexpressible  grief,  could  find 
no  consolation  but  in  mutually  commending  each 
other  to  the  grace  of  God  in  prayer. 

Thus  turning  his  back,  like  Abraham  of  old,  on  his 
kindred  and  his  country,  and  looking  for  that  city 
which  hath  foundations,  whose  builder  and  maker  is 
God,  Mr.  Martyn  departed  from  Cornwall. 

At  Plymouth,  whither  he  proceeded,  he  passed  a 
Sabbath  in  a  heavenly  serenity  of  spirit,  and  in  the  full 
exercise  of  that  faith  which  is  "  the  substance  of  things 
hoped  for,  the  evidence  of  things  not  seen."  There  he 
preached  twice,  on  Dan.  5 :  22,  23 :  "  And  thou  his 
son,  O  Belshazzar,  hast  not  humbled  thy  heart,  though 
thou  knewest  all  this;  but  hast  lifted  up  thyself  against 
the  Lord  of  heaven  ;  and  they  have  brought  the  ves- 
sels of  his  house  before  thee,  and  thou  and  thy  lords, 
thy  wives  and  thy  concubines,  have  drank  wine  in 
them  ;  and  thou  hast  praised  the  gods  of  silver,  and 
gold,  of  brass,  iron,  wood,  and  stone,  which  see  not, 


78  MEMOIR    OF 

nor  hear,  nor  know  :  and  the  God  in  whose  hand  thy 
breath  is,  and  whose  are  all  thy  ways,  hast  thou  not 
glorified  :"  and  on  Rev.  22  :  17  ;  "  And  the  Spirit  and 
the  bride  say,  Come  :  And  let  him  that  heareth  say, 
Come.  And  let  him  that  is  athirst  come.  And  whoso- 
ever will,  let  him  take  the  water  of  life  freely." — "  His 
soul  longed,"  he  said,  "  for  the  eternal  world,  and  he 
could  see  nothing  on  earth  for  which  he  would  wish 
to  live  another  hour."  At  this  place  an  incident  oc- 
curred indicative  as  well  of  his  extraordinary  humili- 
ty, as  of  that  extreme  temerity  of  judgment,  in  which 
those  who  make  a  loud,  though,  in  the  main,  a  genu- 
ine profession  of  religion,  are  too  apt  to  indulge.  Hav- 
ing expounded  the  Scriptures,  and  prayed  with  many 
who  assembled  to  listen  to  his  parting  words,  he  dis- 
covered that  there  were  some  present  who  ventured 
to  express  a  doubt  of  the  reality  of  his  religion.  One 
person  in  particular  openly  avowed  his  apprehensions 
concerning  him  ;  so  that  his  heart  was  wounded  :  yet, 
observed  this  meek  and  lowly  man  of  God,  "  I  was 
thankful  to  God  for-  admonishing  me,  and  my  grati- 
tude to  the  man  was,  I  think,  unfeigned."  Such  was 
his  recorded  comment  at  the  time:  and  it  is  noted  af- 
terwards in  his  journal,  that  this  very  person  was  es- 
pecially remembered  by  him  in  his  prayers. 

From  Plymouth,  where  his  sorrow  was  painfully 
renewed,  by  being  separated  from  a  family  nearly  re- 
lated and  greatly  endeared  to  him,  he  proceeded  to 
London;  during  which  journey  he  sought,  according 
to  his  settled  custom,  to  render  his  conversation  pro- 
fitable to  his  fellow-travelers  :  and  in  one  instance  on 
this  occasion,  his  attempts  were  not,  it  may  be  hoped, 


HENRY    MARTYN.  79 

unattended  with  success.  He  had  for  his  companion  a 
3roung  French  officer  on  his  parole ;  a  Protestant,  who 
had  been  accustomed,  he  found,  to  attend  to  morning 
and  evening  prayer,  and  to  read  his  Bible,  which  he 
had  unfortunately  lost  when  he  was  taken  prisoner. 
But  his  views  of  the  Gospel  appearing  to  Mr.  Martyn 
very  defective,  he  explained  to  him  "  his  state  by  na- 
ture ;  his  condemnation  by  the  law ;  the  necessity  of 
regeneration,  and  of  free  salvation  by  Christ ;  and  the 
promise  of  the  Spirit."  The  young  man  paid  much 
attention  to  these  admonitions,  and  expressed  great 
affection  for  his  adviser ;  who  afterwards  presented 
him  with  a  French  Testament,  and  corresponded  with 
him  on  those  important  topics  which  he  had  set  before 
him. 

Change  of  place  and  circumstances  did  not  prevent 
Mr.  Martyn  from  communion  with  that  Lord  and  Sa- 
vior, who  is  every  where,  and  who  was  with  him 
whithersoever  he  went.  On  this  journey,  when  leav- 
ing Bath  early  in  the  morning,  "  he  found  his  soul  as- 
cending to  God  with  divine  sweetness.  Nothing  seem- 
ed desirable  but  to  glorify  Him :  all  creatures  were  as 
nothing.  Towards  the  evening,  as  they  drew  near 
London,  he  was  delightfully  engaged  in  meditation  on 
the  latter  part  of  the  second  chapter  of  the  Epistle  to 
the  Ephesians,  "  contemplating  the  building  as  it  was 
rising,  and  as  it  would  be  when  finished." — "  O  the 
transcendent  glory,"  said  he,  "  of  this  temple  of  souls 
lively  stones,  perfect  in  all  its  parts,  the  purchase  and 
the  work  of  God." 

On  the  18th  of  September  we  find  Mr.  Martyn  again 


80  MEMOIR   OP 

quietly  settled  at  Cambridge ;  from  whence  his  young 
est  sister  received  a  letter  from  him,  of  which  the  fol- 
lowing is  an  extract;  and  so  excellent,  surely,  is  the 
spirit  which  pervades  it,  that  tears  of  thankfulness  for 
possessing  such  a  brother,  must  have  mingled  them- 
selves with  those  which  she  could  not  but  shed  abun- 
dantly on  account  of  his  departure. 

"  We  should  consider  it  as  a  sign  for  good,  my  dear- 
est S ,  when  the  Lord  reveals  to  us  the  almost  des- 
perate corruption  of  our  hearts.  For,  if  he  causes  us 
to  groan  under  it,  as  an  insupportable  burden,  he  will, 
we  may  hope,  in  his  own  time,  give  us  deliverance. 
The  pride  which  I  see  dwelling  in  my  own  heart,  pro- 
ducing there  the  most  obstinate  hardness,  I  can  truly 
say  my  soul  abhors.  I  see  it  to  be  unreasonable,  I  feel 
it  to  be  tormenting.  When  I  sometimes  offer  up  sup- 
plications, with  strong  crying  to  God,  to  bring  down 
my  spirit  into  the  dust,  I  endeavor  calmly  to  contem- 
plate the  infinite  majesty  of  the  most  high  God,  and 
my  own  meanness  and  wickedness.  Or  else  I  quietly 
tell  the  Lord,  who  knows  the  heart,  that  I  would  give 
him  all  the  glory  of  every  thing  if  I  could.  But  the 
most  effectual  way  I  have  ever  found,  is  to  lead  away 
my  thoughts  from  myself  and  my  own  concerns,  by 
praying  for  all  my  friends ;  for  the  church,  the  world, 
the  nation;  and,  especially,  by  beseeching  that  God 
would  glorify  his  own  great  name,  by  converting  all 
nations  to  the  obedience  of  faith ;  also  by  praying  that 
he  would  put  more  abundant  honor  on  those  Chris- 
tians whom  he  seems  to  have  honored  especially,  and 
whom  we  see  to  be  manifestly  our  superiors.  This  is 
at  least  a  positive  act  of  humility,  and  it  is  certain  that 


HENRY    MARTYN.  81 

not  only  will  a  good  principle  produce  a  good  act,  but 
the  act  will  increase  the  principle.  But  even  after  do- 
ing all  this,  there  will  often  arise  a  certain  self-com- 
placency which  has  need  to  be  checked  ;  and  in  con- 
versation with  Christian  friends,  we  should  be  careful, 
I  think,  how  self  is  introduced.  Unless  we  think  that 
good  will  be  done,  self  should  be  kept  in  the  back 
ground  and  mortified.  We  are  bound  to  be  servants 
of  all,  ministering  to  their  pleasure  as  far  as  will  be  to 
their  profit.    We  are  to  "look  not  at  our  own  things, 

but  at  the  things  of  others."  Be  assured,  my  dear  S , 

that,  night  and  day  making  mention  of  you  in  my 
prayers,  I  desire  of  God  to  give  you  to  see  the  depth 
of  pride  and  iniquity  in  your  heart,  ye.t  not  to  be  dis- 
couraged at  the  sight  of  it ;  that  you  may  perceive 
yourself  deserving  to  be  cast  out  with  abhorrence  from 
God's  presence,  and  then  may  walk  in  continual  po- 
verty of  spirit  and  the  simplicity  of  a  little  child.  Pray, 
too,  that  I  may  know  something  of  humility.  Blessed 
grace  !  how  it  smooths  the  furrows  of  care,  and  gilds 
the  dark  paths  of  life!  It  will  make  us  kind,  tender- 
hearted, affable,  and  enable  us  to  do  more  for  God  and 
the  Gospel  than  the  most  fervent  zeal  without  it. 

"  I  am  here  without  a  companion  ;  at  first  the  change 
from  the  agreeable  society  in  Cornwall,  as  also  from 
that  which  I  enjoyed  at  Plymouth,  was  very  irksome ; 
but  it  is  good  for  me  !;' 

His  journal  at  this  period  contains  many  observa- 
tions accordant  with  the  last  sentence  in  this  letter: 
his  mind  naturally  often  recurred  with  fond  and 
mournful  recollections  to  Cornwall.     But  he  endea- 


82  MEMOIR  or 

vored  to  check  such  thoughts,  as  savoring  "  too  much  of 
earthliness  and  discontent !"— knowing  that  "he  ought 
to  be  happy  wherever  God  had  placed  him  ;"  and  "  be- 
ing sure  that  the  exchange  he  was  soon  to  make,  of 
college  for  a  stormy  ocean  and  the  burning  plains  of 
India,  would  not  be  very  pleasant  to  the  flesh." 

The  happiness  Mr.  Martyn  enjoyed  in  prosecuting 
his  ministerial  vocation,  received  at  this  time  a  won- 
derful increase;  whilst  suffering  the  will  of  God  with 
the  meek  resignation  of  faith,  he  was  enabled  to  do  it 
with  all  the  delightful  fervency  of  love.  "  Blessed  be 
God,"  he  found  reason  to  say,  with  exceeding  joy  and 
gratitude,  "  I  feel  myself  1o  be  his  minister.  This 
thought,  which  I  can  hardly  describe,  came  in  the 
morning,  after  reading  Brainerd.  I  wish  for  no  ser- 
vice but  the  service  of  God  j  to  labor  for  souls  on 
earth,  to  do  his  will  in  heaven."  As  far  as  the  exter- 
nal duties  of  his  office  were  concerned,  only  this  vari- 
ation occurred ;  he  became  extremely  diligent  in  the 
humble,  but  most  important  work  of  catechising  chil- 
dren ;  giving  sometimes  a  great  part  of  his  evenings 
to  the  task,  and  leaving  the  society  he  most  valued  for 
the  sake  of  it.  He  determined  likewise  upon  preach- 
ing more  frequently  extempore,  (for  he  had  already  at 
times  adopted  the  practice,)  partly  from  thinking  it 
upon  the  whole  more  profitable  to  himself  as  well  as 
to  the  congregation,  and  partly  from  the  desire  of  de- 
voting the  time  spent  in  writing  sermons  to  other  pur- 
poses. He  by  no  means,  however,  renounced  these 
compositions.  On  the  contrary,  he  enjoined  it  upon 
himself  as  a  rule,  never  to  pass  a  week  without  writing 
a  sermon. 


HEKRY    MARTYR.  83 

In  visiting  his  flock,  and  thus  "  preaching  from  house 
to  house,"  Mr.  Martyn's  perseverance  kept  pace  with 
the  heightened  pleasure  and  satisfaction  he  expe- 
rienced in  his  divine  calling :  happy,  however,  as  he 
was  in  this  work  of  labor  and  love,  the  sympathies  of 
his  heart  were  painfully  and  powerfully  called  forth 
by  many  a  scene  of  extreme  misery,  and  his  holy  sen- 
sibilities were  yet  more  acutely  excited  by  the  vice 
and  profligacy  he  perpetually  witnessed.  The  follow- 
ing are  some  of  several  scenes  of  wretchedness  with 
which  he  was  conversant: — "  In  prayer  I  found  my 
soul  composed  to  a  blessed  and  serious  view  of  eter- 
nity. Visited  the  hospital,  and  read  the  11th  chapter 
of  John  there,  with  a  poor  man,  in  whose  room  at  the 
workhouse  I  wras  struck  with  the  misery  that  present- 
ed itself.  He  was  lying,  in  his  clothes  and  hat,  upon 
the  bed,  dying;  his  wife  was  cleaning  the  room  as  if 
nothing  was  the  matter;  and  on  the  threshold  was  the 
daughter,  about  thirty  years  old,  who  had  been  deli- 
rious thirteen  years.  Her  mother  said,  that  the  poor 
creature  sometimes  talked  of  religion :  so  I  asked  her 
several  times,  before  I  could  arrest  her  attention,  who 
came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners?  After  several 
wild  looks,  she  hastily  answered,  'Christ,'  and  then 
talked  on  as  before.  The  dying  man  was  almost  in- 
sensible to  any  thing  I  could  say.  He  had  formerly 
been  a  respectable  innkeeper  in  the  town ;  but  the  ex- 
travagance of  a  son  brought  him  to  poverty,  and  his 
daughter,  who  foresaw  it,  to  insanity." — "In  the  af- 
ternoon I  enjoyed  solemn  thoughts  in  prayer,  and 
visited  several  people;  amongst  them  one  poor  peni- 
tent, with  whom  I  had  prayed  the  day  before.    The 


84  MEMOIR   OF 

desires  she  expressed  amidst  her  tears  were,  that  God 
would  change  her  heart,  and  forgive  her,  and  take 
her  to  his  mercy.  If  it  was  his  will,  she  wished  to 
leave  this  world.  But  what  if  she  should  live?  I 
asked  her.  She  said  she  could  not  say  she  should  not 
sin,  as  she  was  constantly  liable ;  but  rather  than  re- 
turn to  her  former  ways,  she  would  be  cut  in  pieces. 
I  was  much  affected  with  pity,  and  preached  the  Gos- 
pel of  peace  with  great  delight  to  her."  At  another 
time,  when  a  friend  had  given  him  a  lamentable  ac- 
count of  the  gross  misconduct  of  a  woman  who  had 
made  a  profession  of  religion,  "  the  consideration,"  he 
remarked,  "quite  swallowed  up  my  other  thoughts, 
and  brought  me  to  a  tender  grief  and  godly  sorrow. 
I  went  to  church,  ruminating  on  it,  and  could  almost 
say,  '  Rivers  of  waters  run  down  mine  eyes,  because 
men  keep  not  thy  law.'  O  that  I  could  feel  more  sen- 
sibly the  dishonor  done  to  God,  and  to  his  Christ,  and 
to  his  Gospel;  and  the  ruin  she  is  bringing  on  her 
own  soul."  And  on  hearing,  the  same  day,  of  the 
death  of  one  whom  he  had  remembered  in  innocence, 
and  in  the  bloom  of  health  and  beauty,  and  who  died 
after  a  very  short  career  of  vice,  the  account  was  too 
much  for  him.  "  My  heart,"  said  he,  "  was  ready  to 
burst.  When  I  thought  of  the  man  who  had  seduced 
her,  and  then  of  many  in  the  University  who  had  be- 
haved with  extraordinary  effrontery  at  church,  my 
soul  groaned  within  me.  O  my  God,  it  is  enough  ; 
hasten,  O  hasten  the  day  when  I  shall  leave  the  world 
to  come  to  thee ;  when  I  shall  no  more  be  vexed,  and 
astonished,  and  pained,  at  the  universal  wickedness  o. 
this  lost  earth.  But  here  would  I  abide  my  time  ;  and 


HENRY    MARTYN.  85 

spend  and  be  spent  for  the  salvation  of  any  poor  soul ; 
and  lie  down  at  the  feet  of  sinners,  and  beseech  them 
not  to  plunge  into  an  eternity  of  torment." 

How  "honorable"  and  what  delight  the  Sabbath  was 
to  Mr.  Marty n,  we  have  already  seen;  it  might  be 
called  with  him  "  a  kind  of  transfiguration-day,  when 
his  garments  shone  with  peculiar  lustre."  Can  it  be 
deemed  irrelevant,  then,  to  advert  again  to  the  state  of 
his  mind,  as  delineated  by  himself,  during  some  of 
those  sacred  seasons  at  this  period? 

Sept.  30. — "  My  mind,  this  morning,  easily  ascended 
to  God,  in  peaceful  solemnity.  I  succeeded  in  finding 
access  to  God,  and  being  alone  with  him.  Could  I  but 
enjoy  this  life  of  faith  more  steadily,  how  much  should 
I  '  grow  in  grace,'  and  be  renewed  in  the  spirit  of  my 
mind  !  At  such  seasons  of  fellowship  with  the  Father 
and  his  Son  Jesus  Christ,  when  the  world,  and  self,  and 
eternity,  are  nearly  in  their  right  places,  not  only  are 
my  views  of  duty  clear  and  comprehensive,  but  the 
proper  motives  have  a  more  constraining  influence." 

Oct.  28. — "This  has  been  in  general  a  happy  day. 
In  the  morning,  through  grace,  I  was  enabled  by 
prayer  to  maintain  a  calm  recollection  of  myself — 
and  what  was  better,  of  the  presence  of  my  dear  Re- 
deemer. From  the  church  I  walked  to  our  garden, 
where  I  was  above  an  hour,  I  trust,  with  Christ,  speak- 
ing to  him  chiefly  of  my  future  life  in  his  service.  I 
determined  on  entire  devotedness,  though  with  trem- 
bling; for  the  flesh  dreads  crucifixion.  But  should  I 
fear  pain,  when  Christ  was  so  agonized  for  me?  No, 
— come  what  will,  I  am  determined,  through  God,  to 
be  a  fellow-worker  with  Christ.  I  recollected,  with 
8 


86  MEMOIR   OF 

comfort,  that  I  was  speaking  to  the  great  Creator,  who 
can  make  such  a  poor  weak  worm  as  myself  f  more 
than  conqueror.  At  church  I  found,  by  the  attention 
of  the  people,  that  the  fervor  of  my  spirit  yesterday 
had  been  conveyed  into  my  sermon.  I  came  to  my 
rooms  rejoicing  to  be  alone  again,  and  to  hold  commu- 
nion with  God." 

Dec.  9. — "This  has  been  in  general  a  sweet  and 
blessed  day — a  foretaste  of  my  eternal  Sabbath. 
Preached  on  the  third  commandment :  in  the  after- 
noon on  the  tenth.  Rode  back  to  Cambridge,  feeling 
quite  willing  to  go  any  where  or  surfer  any  thing  for 
God.  Preached  in  Trinity  church,  on  Ezek.  33:11. 
1  Say  unto  them,  As  I  live,  saith  the  Lord  God,  I  have 
no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  the  wicked ;  but  that  the 
wicked  turn  from  his  way  and  live :  turn  ye,  turn  ye 
from  your  evil  ways ;  for  why  will  ye  die,  O  house  of 
Israel  V  It  was  pleasant  to  me  to  think  of  being  alone 
again  with  God." 

The  year  1804  closed  with  Mr.  Martyn's  being  a 
third  time  selected  as  one  of  the  examiners  in  St. 
John's.  In  fulfilling  which  office,  he  speaks  of  his 
"  soul  drawing  near  to  God  whilst  in  the  hall ;  and  of 
a  sacred  impression  being  upon  his  mind  during  the 
examination."  "  Several  of  the  poetical  images  in 
Virgil,"  in  which  he  had  been  examining,  "especially 
those  taken  from  nature,  together  with  the  sight  of  the 
moon  rising  over  the  venerable  wall,  and  sending  its 
light  through  the  painted  glass,  turned  away  his 
thoughts  from  present  things,  and  raised  them  to  God. 
His  soul  was  stirred  up  to  renewed  resolutions  to  live 
a  life  of  entire  independence  of  earthly  comforts ; 
though  he  felt  that  the  flesh  was  very  weak." 


HENRY    MARTYN.  87 

The  last  day  of  the  year  found  him  "rejoicing  at 
the  lapse  of  time,  but  sorrowing  at  its  unprofitable- 
ness."— "  So  closes,"  he  remarks,  "  the  easy  part  of  my 
life;  enriched  by  every  earthly  comfort,  and  caressed 
by  friends,  I  may  scarcely  be  said  to  have  experienced 
trouble ;  but  now,  farewell  ease,  if  I  might  presume  to 
conjecture.  O  Lord,  into  thy  hands  I  commit  my 
spirit!  Thou  hast  redeemed  me,  thou  God  of  truth! 
may  I  be  saved  by  thy  grace,  and  be  sanctified  to  do 
thy  will  now,  and  to  all  eternity,  through  Jesus 
Christ."  His  reflections  on  the  following  day,  the  first 
of  that  year  which  was  his  last  in  England,  carry  with 
them  a  peculiar  interest,  as  well  from  their  intrinsic 
excellence,  as  from  the  circumstances  under  which 
they  were  indited. 

Jan.  1,  1805.— "  Hitherto  hath  the  Lord  helped  me. 
It  is  now  about  five  years  since  God  stopped  me  in  the 
career  of  worldliness,  and  turned  me  from  the  paths 
of  sin — three  years  and  a  half  since  I  turned  to  the 
Lord  with  all  my  heart — and  a  little  more  than  two 
years  since  he  enabled  me  to  devote  myself  to  his  ser- 
vice as  a  missionary.  My  progress  of  late  has  become 
slower  than  it  had  been ;  yet  I  can  truly  say,  that  in 
the  course  of  this  time,  every  successive  year,  every 
successive  week  has  been  happier  than  the  former. 
From  many  dangerous  snares  hath  the  Lord  preserved 
me:  in  spite  of  all  my  inward  rebellion,  he  hath  car- 
ried on  his  work  in  my  heart;  and  in  spite  of  all  my 
unbelieving  fears,  he  hath  given  me  a  hope  full  of 
immortality;  'he  hath  set  my  foot  on  a  rock,  and 
established  my  goings,  and  hath  put  anew  song  in 
my  mouth,  even  praises  to  my  God.'    It  is  the  begin- 


S3  MEMOIR    OF 

ning  of  a  critical  year  to  me;  yet  I  feel  little  appre- 
hension. The  same  grace  and  long-suffering,  the  same 
wisdom  and  power,  that  have  brought  me  so  far,  will 
bring  me  on,  though  it  be  through  fire  and  water,  to 
a  goodly  heritage.  I  see  no  business  in  life  but  the 
work  of  Christ,  neither  do  I  desire  any  employment 
to  all  eternity  but  his  service.  I  am  a  sinner  saved  by 
grace.  Every  day's  experience  convinces  me  of  this 
truth.  My  daily  sins  and  constant  corruption  leave  me 
no  hope  but  that  which  is  founded  on  God's  mercy  in 
Christ.  His  Spirit,  I  trust,  is  imparted,  and  is  renew- 
ing my  nature;  as  I  desire  much,  though  I  have  at- 
tained but  little.  Now  to  God,  the  Father,  Son,  and 
Holy  Ghost,  would  I  solemnly  renew  my  self-dedica- 
tion, to  be  his  servant  for  ever." 

Towards  the  end  of  January,  a  sudden  summons  to 
leave  England  in  ten  days  caused  some  perturbation 
in  Mr.  Marty n's  spirits.  Short,  however,  as  the  notice 
was,  he  would  instantly  have  complied  with  it,  had  he 
received  ordination  ;  but  this  he  could  not  receive  till 
the  18th  of  February,  when  he  competed  his  twenty- 
fourth  year. 

The  solemn  and  impressive  rite  of  admission  to  the 
functions  and  privileges  of  a  presbyter  of  the  church 
of  England  was  administered  to  him  at  St.  James's 
Chapel,  London,  in  the  month  of  March :  after  which 
lie  received  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Divinity,  con- 
ferred upon  him  by  mandate  from  the  university; 
when  nothing  remained  to  detain  him  any  longer  at 
Cambridge. 

At  the  thoughts  of  his  departure,  he  confesses  that 
the  flesh  betrayed  its  weakness,  but  he  did  not  regret 


HENRY    MARTYN.  89 

having  resigned  the  world ;  life,  he  knew,  was  but  a 
short  journey— a  little  day  ;  and  then,  if  faithful  unto 
death,  his  gracious  reward  would  begin.  Happily  for 
him,  such  was  the  divine  goodness  and  mercy,  that  he 
was,  at  this  moment,  more  than  ever  persuaded  of  his 
being  truly  called  of  God  to  preach  the  Gospel  to  the 
heathen.  "  I  rejoice  to  say  (he  wrote  to  his  youngest 
sister)  that  I  never  had  so  clear  a  conviction  of  my 
call  as  at  present — as  far  as  respects  the  inward  im- 
pression. Never  did  I  see  so  much  the  exceeding  ex- 
cellency, and  glory,  and  sweetness  of  the  work  ;  nor 
have  so  much  the  favorable  testimony  of  my  own  con- 
science, nor  perceive  so  plainly  the  smile  of  God.  I  am 
constrained  to  say — What  am  I,  or  what  is  my  father's 
house,  that  I  should  be  made  willing — what  am  I,  that 
I  should  be  so  happy,  so  honored?"  In  his  journal 
likewise,  he  expresses  himself  to  the  same  effect :  "  I 
felt  more  persuaded  of  my  call  than  ever ;  there  was 
scarcely  the  shadow  of  a  doubt  left.  Rejoice,  O  my 
soul — thou  shalt  be  the  servant  of  God  in  this  life,  and 
in  the  next,  for  all  the  boundless  ages  of  eternity." 

A  remarkable  spirit  of  supplication  likewise  was  in 
this  hour  of  need  poured  out  upon  him;  and  the  sure 
word  of  prophecy,  predicting  the  glory  of  the  latter 
times,  was  as  the  dawning  of  the  day  and  the  rising  of 
the  day-star  in  his  heart.  "  I  could  not,"  he  remarks, 
"  help  reflecting  on  the  almost  supernatural  fervor  and 
deep  devotion  which  came  upon  me,  whilst  I  declared 
that  I  had  rightfully  no  other  business  each  day  but  to 
do  God's  work  as  a  servant,  constantly  regarding  his 
pleasure."—"  My  thoughts  were  full  of  what  God 
would  do  for  his  own  glory,  in  the  conversion  of  mul- 
8* 


90  MEMOIR    OF 

titudes  to  himself  in  the  latter  day.  I  did  not  wish  to 
think  about  myself  in  any  respect,  but  found  it  a  pre- 
cious privilege  to  stand  by,  a  silent  admirer  of  God's 
doings." 

To  be  removed  for  ever  from  many  dear  friends,  and 
from  a  congregation  who  "  esteemed  him  very  highly 
in  love  for  his  work's  sake,"  would  have  greatly  af- 
flicted one  of  far  less  affection  than  that  which  anima- 
ted the  breast  of  Mr.  Martyn.  As  for  him,  his  sufferings 
on  this  occasion  were  most  severe.  Those  of  his  flock, 
likewise,  were  no  less  so :  they  would  willingly  have 
renewed  the  touching  scene  once  beheld  at  Miletus, 
"  sorrowing  as  they  did  for  the  words  that  he  spake, 
that  they  should  see  his  face  no  more."  One  old  man — 
to  adduce  no  other  instance  of  their  undissembled  re- 
gard and  poignant  regret — could  not  refrain  from  com- 
ing to  him,  that  he  might  commend  him  solemnly  to 
God  in  prayer.  And  when  he  delivered  his  farewell 
discourse  in  Trinity  Church,  on  these  words,  (2  Sam. 
7  :  27,  29,)  "  For  thou,  O  Lord  of  Hosts,  God  of  Israel, 
hast  revealed  to  thy  servant,  saying,  I  will  build  thee 
an  house;  therefore  hath  thy  servant  found  in  his  heart 
to  pray  this  prayer  unto  thee.  And  now,  O  Lord  God, 
thou  art  that  God,  and  thy  words  be  true,  and  thou 
hast  promised  this  goodness  unto  thy  servant :  there- 
fore now  let  it  please  thee  to  bless  the  house  of  thy  ser- 
vant, that  it  may  continue  for  ever  before  thee :  for 
thou,  O  Lord  God,  hast  spoken  it:  and  with  thy  bless- 
ing let  the  house  of  thy  servant  be  blessed  for  ever ;" 
the  whole  assembly  was  dissolved  in  grief;  thus  testi- 
fying, by  their  tears,  that  their  attachment  to  him  was 
equalled  only  by  their  admiration  of  his  character. 


HENRY   MARTYN*.  91 

On  the  third  cl  April,  the  day  after  he  had  preached 
his  valedictory  sermon,  Mr.  Martyn  quitted  for  ever 
the  place  which  had  been  "  the  dear  abode  of  his 
youth," — in  which  he  had  obtained  no  moderate  por- 
tion of  honor  and  reputation — and  in  which,  had  he 
deemed  it  right  to  remain,  he  might  have  acquired  that 
ample  share  of  emolument  which  talents  such  as  his 
never  fail  to  secure.  At  such  a  moment  he  would  have 
been  glad  to  have  been  left  to  uninterrupted  medita- 
tion ;  but  many  young  students  happened  to  accom- 
pany him  on  his  journey,  and  he  thought  it  his  duty 
to  enter  into  religious  conversation  with  them  for  their 
benefit.  "At  intervals,  however,"  said  he,  "  I  medi- 
tated and  prayed — the  coldness  and  ingratitude  of  my 
wicked  heart  made  me  loathsome  to  myself;  and  I 
longed  but  for  one  thing,  which  was,  to  be  delivered 
from  all  my  iniquity." 

The  day  after  his  arrival  in  London,  other  natural 
feelings  were  called  into  exercise ;  feelings  which  it  is 
the  design  of  the  Gospel  to  moderate,  but  not  to  sup- 
press. Some  hymns,  sung  in  the  evening  worship  of 
the  family  into  which  he  was  most  hospitably  received, 
recalling  Cambridge  to  his  remembrance,  affected  him 
even  to  tears;  and  as  he  dwelt  with  melancholy  plea- 
sure on  its  past  delights,  all  his  dear  Christian  friends 
in  it  seemed  doubly  interesting. 

During  the  two  months  Mr.  Martyn  was  resident  in 
London,  he  considered  that  he  could  not  better  employ 
his  time  than  by  devoting  it  to  the  attainment  of  the 
Hindostanee  language;  and  having  the  advantage  of 
being  assisted  by  a  gentleman  eminently  competent  to 
direct  him,  (Mr.  Gilchrist.)  he  was  incessant  in  his  en- 


92  MEMOIR   OP 

deavors  to  obtain  that  necessary  qualification  for  an 
Indian  missionary.  In  order,  also,  that  he  might  cor- 
rect some  defects  in  his  speech,  he  at  the  same  time 
deemed  it  incumbent  on  him  to  attend  several  lectures 
on  pronunciation  :  for  nothing  did  he  disdain,  which, 
tending  to  make  his  ministry  more  acceptable,  might 
conduce  to  the  glory  of  God.  In  the  delivery  of  the 
great  message  committed  to  him  as  an  ambassador  of 
Christ,  he  was  at  this  time  by  no  means  remiss.  During 
the  short  period  of  his  abode  in  London  he  often 
preached,  occupying  the  pulpit,  principally,  at  St. 
John's  Chapel,  Bedford  Row,  then  under  the  care  of 
the  late  Rev.  Richard  Cecil ;  from  whose  holy  example 
and  faithful  advice  Mr.  Martyn  conceived  himself  to 
have  derived  the  most  substantial  and  lasting  benefit. 
Nor  was  he  without  another  high  gratification  and  pri- 
vilege, that  of  being  introduced  to  the  aged  and  vene- 
rable Mr.  Newton,  who,  expecting  soon  to  be  "  gathered 
to  his  people,"  rejoiced  to  give  this  young  minister, 
about  to  proceed  on  his  sublime  embassy  of  love,  his 
paternal  counsel  and  benediction. 

An  intercourse  with  such  men  as  Mr.  Newton  and 
Mr.  Cecil  was  more  than  a  compensation  to  Mr.  Mar- 
tyn for  his  detention  in  London,  and  for  the  uneasiness 
of  that  period  of  uncertainty  and  delay,  which  is  al- 
most as  oppressive  to  the  spirit  as  the  moment  of  actual 
departure.  But  if  he  received  unmingled  satisfaction 
and  abiding  profit  from  the  conversation  he  enjoyed 
with  those  eminent  Christians,  there  were  others  with 
whom  he  conferred,  who,  "  seeming  to  be  somewhat 
in  conference,  added  nothing  to  him,"  but,  on  the  con- 
trary, occasioned  him  no  small  measure  of  disquietude. 


HENRY    MARTYN.  93 

Once,  indeed,  these  very  persons  were  in  the  habit  of 
manifesting  great  cordiality  towards  him:  but  now 
they  began  to  slight  him,  and  in  his  presence  were 
continually  raising  disparaging  comparisons  between 
him  and  certain  preachers,  whose  theological  senti- 
ments, if  not  erroneous,  were  at  least  far  too  exclusive  ; 
and  whose  strain  of  doctrine,  in  Mr.  Martyn's  judg- 
ment, was  more  calculated  to  produce  ill-grounded 
confidence,  than  righteousness  and  true  holiness.  In- 
terviews of  this  kind  he  endured  rather  than  enjoyed  : 
they  are  to  be  ranked  amongst  his  trials,  and  not  placed 
on  the  side  of  his  comforts. 

The  subject  of  his  union,  likewise,  with  that  excel- 
lent person  (since  consigned  to  her  grave)  on  whom 
his  affections  were  so  unalterably  fixed,  became  at  this 
time  a  matter  of  consideration  and  discussion  amongst 
some  of  his  more  intimate  friends :  and  their  deference 
of  opinion  respecting  the  propriety  of  the  measure, 
should  it  ever  be  practicable,  caused  no  small  tumult 
and  anguish  in  his  heart. 

On  the  other  hand,  there  were  two  events,  the  pros- 
pect of  which  was  of  the  most  cheering  complexion  ; 
— the  one,  the  satisfactory  marriage  of  his  youngest 
sister — the  other,  a  hope  of  being  soon  followed  to 
India  by  two  of  his  friends,  who,  strengthened,  if  not 
excited,  by  his  example,  declared  their  willingness  to 
go  forth  and  labor  with  him  in  that  distant  vineyard. 

But  as  it  may  administer  much  profitable  as  well  as 
encouraging  matter  for  reflection  to  those  who  may 
hereafter  tread  in  the  footsteps  of  Mr.  Marty n,  his 
journal  shall  speak  for  him  at  some  length  during  the 
interval  between  his  quitting  Cambridge  and  preparing 
to  sail  from  England. 


94  MEMOIR   OF 

April  10. — "  Walked  out  to  buy  books,  and  strove 
to  be  diligent  in  thinking  of  my  subject.  When  I  got 
into  the  spirit  of  it,  Christ  appeared  at  times  inex- 
pressibly precious  to  me." 

April  14. — Sunday.  I  felt  very  unconcerned  about 
men's  opinions,  both  before  and  after  sermon.  Before 
it,  I  could  solemnly  appeal  to  God,  and  found  comfort 
and  pleasure  in  doing  so — that  1 4desired  his  glory 
alone — that  I  detested  the  thought  of  seeking  my  own 
praise,  or  taking  pleasure  in  hearing  it.  The  rest  of 
the  evening  I  continued  in  a  very  ardent  frame ;  but, 
in  private,  I  was  taught  by  former  experience  to  labor 
after  a  calm  and  sober  devotedness  to  God,  and  that 
my  fervor  might  show  itself  in  a  steady  course  of  ac- 
tion. My  soul  felt  growing  in  holiness  nigh  unto  the 
blessed  God,  with  my  understanding,  will,  and  affec- 
tions turned  towards  him.  Surely  many  of  the  chil- 
dren of  God  have  been  praying  for  me  to-day.  May 
the  Lord  return  their  prayers  tenfold  into  their  own 
bosoms." 

April  15. — "0  may  God  confirm  my  feeble  resolu- 
tions !  What  have  I  to  do  but  to  labor,  and  pray,  and 
fast,  and  watch,  for  the  salvation  of  my  own  soul,  and 
those  of  the  heathen  world  ?  Ten  thousand  times  more 
than  ever  do  I  feel  devoted  to  that  precious  work.  O, 
gladly  shall  this  base  blood  be  shed,  every  drop  of  it, 
if  India  can  be  benefited  in  one  of  her  children — if 
but  one  of  those  children  of  God  Almighty  might  be 
brought  home  to  his  duty." 

April  16. — "  How  careful  should  I  and  all  be,  in  our 
ministry,  not  to  break  the  bruised  reed  !  Alas !  do  I 
think  that  a  schoolboy,  a  raw  academic,  should  be 


HENRY   MARTYN.  95 

likely  to  lead  the  hearts  of  men  ?  What  a  knowledge 
of  men,  and  acquaintance  with  the  Scriptures — what 
communion  with  God,  and  study  of  my  own  heart — 
ought  to  prepare  me  for  the  awful  work  of  a  messen- 
ger from  God  on  the  business  of  the  soul !" 

April  22. — "I  do  not  wish  for  any  heaven  upon 
earth  besides  that  of  preaching  the  precious  Gospel  of 
Jesus  Christ  to  immortal  souls.  May  these  weak  de- 
sires increase  and  strengthen  with  every  difficulty." 

April  27.— "My  constant  unprofitableness  seemed 
to  bar  my  approach  to  God.  But  I  considered  that  for 
all  that  was  past  the  blood  of  Christ  would  atone ; 
and  that  for  the  future,  God  would  that  moment  give 
me  grace  to  perform  my  duty." 

May  7. — "  Went  in  the  evening  to  hear .    He 

was  on  the  same  subject  as  usual,  but  without  variety. 
I  confess  I  was  dissatisfied  ;  not  only  because  I  could 
fix  on  nothing  that  could  edify  me,  but  because  I  could 
not  but  think  that  there  was  nothing  to  offend  or  de- 
tect carnal  professors." 

May  9. — "  O  my  soul,  when  wTilt  thou  live  consis- 
tently ?  When  shall  I  walk  steadily  with  God  ?  WThen 
shall  I  hold  heaven  constantly  in  view  ?  How  time 
glides  away — how  is  death  approaching — how  soon 
must  I  give  up  my  account — how  are  souls  perishing, 
— how  does  their  blood  call  out  to  us  to  labor,  and 
watch,  and  pray  for  them  that  remain  !" 

May  16.—"  I  went  down  with  Captain  M to 

Deptford :  passing  through  an  inn  which  was  close  to 
the  water-side,  I  came  at  once,  to  my  great  surprise, 
close  to  the  Indiaman  before  I  was  aware  of  it.  The 
sudden  sight  of  the  water  and  of  the  ship  affected  me 


96  MEMOIR   OF 

almost  to  tears.  My  emotions  were  mixed— partly  of 
joy,  and  partly  of  trembling  apprehensions  of  my  be- 
ing now  so  soon  to  go  away." 

May  18. — "  Happening  to  look  over  some  of  my 
farewell  sermons  at  Cambridge,  I  was  affected  to 
tears." 

May  22. — "  Heard  Mr.  Crowther  preach.  At  first  I 
could  not  enter  into  those  humiliating  views  which  I 
knew  I  ought  to  have;  but  by  stirring  up  myself  to 
attend,  and  to  mix  faith  with  what  he  said,  and  by 
turning  every  sentence  into  a  petition,  I  got  great  good 
in  my  soul." 

May  24. — "I  felt,  more  than  I  ever  had  done, 
the  shame  attending  poverty;  nothing  but  the  rem  em 
brance  that  I  was  not  to  blame  supported  me:  what 
ever  comes  to  me  in  the  way  of  providence,  is  and 

must  be  for  my  good.    Dined  at  ,  where  I  could 

plainly  see  I  was  scarcely  a  welcome  guest :  the  ne- 
glect of  me  was  too  plain  to  be  unnoticed.  The  weak- 
ness of  my  human  nature  would  have  expressed  itself, 
had  I  not  looked  up  to  God,  and  prayed  for  a  sight  of 
my  desert  of  the  scorn  of  men.  The  conversation 
amongst  these  high  professors  was  of  course  about 

.    One  said  to  me,  '  his  sermons  are  not  fine  and 

eloquent,  but  spiritual  f — alluding  to  the  first  of  mine 
which  he  had  heard." 

May  30.—"  Read  Brainerd.  I  feel  my  heart  knit  to 
this  dear  man,  and  really  rejoice  to  think  of  meeting 
him  in  heaven." 

June  1. — "Memory  has  been  at  work  to  unnerve 
my  soul :  but  reason  and  honor,  and  love  to  Christ 
and  souls  shall  prevail.   Amen.   God  help  me." 


t .'ZSnY   MARTYX.  97 

June  2. — Whitsunday.  "My  dear  Redeemer  is  a 
fountain  of  life  to  my  soul.  With  resignation  and 
peace  can  I  look  forward  to  a  life  of  labor  and  entire 
seclusion  from  earthly  comforts,  while  Jesus  thus 
stands  near  me,  changing  me  into  his  own  image." 

June  6. — "  God's  interference  in  supporting  me  con- 
tinually, appears  to  me  like  a  miracle." 

June  7. — "  I  have  not  felt  such  heart-rending  pain 
since  I  parted  with  L — —  in  Cornwall.  But  the  Lord 
brought  me  to  consider  the  folly  and  wickedness  of 
all  this.  I  could  not  help  saying, — Go  Hindoos — go 
on  in  your  misery — let  Satan  still  reign  over  you  ; 
for  he  that  was  appointed  to  labor  among  you,  is  con- 
sulting his  ease.  No,  thought  I ;  earth  and  hell  shall 
never  keep  me  back  from  my  work.  I  am  cast  down, 
but  not  destroyed.  I  began  to  consider  why  I  was  so 
uneasy — !  Cast  thy  care  upon  him,  for  he  careth  for 
you.'  'In  every  thing,  by  prayer  and  supplication, 
with  thanksgiving,  let  your  requests  be  make  known 
to  God:'— these  promises  were  sweetly  fulfilled,  be- 
fore long,  to  me." 

June  8. — "  My  heart  was  sometimes  ready  to  break 
with  agony.  At  other  times,  I  was  visited  by  a  few 
moments  of  sublime  and  enraptured  joy.  Such  is 
the  conflict.""  Why  have  my  friends  mentioned  this 
subject?  It  has  torn  open  old  wounds,  and  I  am 
again  bleeding." 

June  13.—  "  Had  I  a  more  tender  sense  of  mercy,  I 
should  have  delighted  to  write  on  the  subject  I  had 
chosen.  Yet  it  is  very  sweet  to  be  desiring  such  a 
state.  I  would  wish,  like  Mary,  to  lie  weeping  at  the 
feet  of  Jesus." 

9 


08 


MEMOIR   OF 


June  15.—"  Shed  tears  to-night  at  the  thoughts  of 
my  departure.  I  thought  of  the  roaring  seas,  which 
would  soon  be  rolling  between  me  and  all  that  is  dear 
to  me  upon  earth." 

June  23.—"  The  grief  of  the  Miss  C s,  at  the  de- 
parture of  their  brother  for  India,  called  forth  some  of 
my  natural  feelings.  Had  I  been  going  from  necessi- 
ty, it  would  almost  break  my  heart.  But  I  go,  from 
choice,  into  a  part  of  the  vineyard  where  my  dearest 
friend  will  be  present.  On  the  subject  of  the  mission, 
I  seemed  assisted  to  unfold  my  heart  unto  the  Lord, 
and  to  pray  for  his  mighty  protection  in  the  fiery  trial 
which  is  about  to  try  me." 

June  25. — "  I  heard  something  about  Swartz  to-day, 
which  struck  me  much — his  simple  mode  of  living." 

June  28. — "  Was  much  struck  and  affected  with  the 
words  of  a  Hottentot  woman,  quoted  in  Mr.  Biddulph's 
sermon.  How  happy  and  honored  am  I,  in  being  suf- 
fered to  be  a  missionary  1" 

July  4, — "Mr.  Cecil  showed  me  a  letter  in  Swartz's 
own  hand-writing.*  Its  contents  were  of  a  very  ex- 
perimental nature — applicable  to  my  case.  The  life 
of  faith  in  Jesus  is  what  I  want.  My  soul  might  al- 
most burst  with  astonishment  at  its  own  wickedness  ! 
but,  at  the  same  time,  trusting  to  mercy,  rise  and  go, 
and  try  to  make  men  happy.    The  Lord  go  with  me ! 

*  It  is  in  vain  to  wish  that  very  large  extracts  from  Mr. 
Swartz's  Correspondence  with  the  Society  for  promoting 
Christian  Knowledge  were  published:  much  of  which  would 
doubtless  be  "  applicable  to  the  case"  of  Christians  in  general, 
and  of  Ministers  and  Missionaries  in  particular.  It  is  said' 
that  the  whole  is  either  lost  or  bund. 


HENRY    MARTYN,  09 

Let  my  right  hand  forget  her  cunning,  if  I  remember 
not  Jerusalem  above  my  chief  joy." 

After  delivering  a  sermon  to  the  congregation  at  St. 
John's,  upon  Acts,  20  :  32;  "And  now,  brethren,  I 
commend  you  to  God,  and  to  the  word  of  his  grace, 
wiiich  is  able  to  build  you  up,  and  to  give  you  an  in- 
heritance among  all  them  that  are  sanctified,"  on  the 
8th  of  July  Mr.  Marty n  left  London  for  Portsmouth  : 
and  such  was  the  acuteness  of  his  feelings  during  this 
journey,  that  he  fainted  and  fell  into  a  convulsion  fit 
at  the  inn  at  which  he  slept  on  the  road  ;  a  painful  in- 
timation to  those  friends  who  were  with  him,  of  the 
poignancy  of  that  grief  which  he  endeavored  as  much 
as  possible  to  repress  and  conceal.  The  next  morning, 
however,  he  was  sufficiently  recovered  to  proceed,  and 
was  much  refreshed  in  his  spirit  at  the  sight  of  many 
of  his  brethren  at  Portsmouth,  who  had  come  (several 
from  a  considerable  distance)  that  they  might  affec- 
tionately accompany  him  to  the  ship.  Among  these 
M-as  one  whose  presence  afforded  him-  an  unexpected 
happiness.  "To  be  obliged  to  give  up  all  hopes  of 
your  accompanying  me  to  Portsmouth,"  (he  had  writ- 
ten a  short  time  before  to  Mr.  Simeon,)  "  is  a  greater 
disappointment  than  I  can  well  describe.  Having  been 
led  to  expect  it,  I  seem  to  experience  a  painful  priva- 
tion. However,  you  will  not  now  have  the  pain  of  ob- 
serving in  your  brother  a  conversation  and  spirit  un- 
suitable to  the  important  work  en  which  he  is  going. 
Yet  this  I  believe,  that  though  I  have  little  affectum 
towards  heavenly  things,  I  have  less  towards  every 
thing  earthly."  From  Mr.  Simeon  he  learnt,  to  his  ex- 


100  MEMOIR   OF 

ceeding  comfort,  that  his  flock  at  Cambridge  intended, 
on  the  day  of  his  departure,  as  far  as  it  could  be  as- 
certained, to  give  themselves  to  fasting  and  prayer ; 
and  at  his  hands  he  received,  with  peculiar  gratifica- 
tion, a  silver  compass,  sent  by  them  as  a  memorial  of 
their  unfeigned  affection ;  for  which  the  following  let- 
ter is  expressive  of  his  acknowledgments : 

Portsmouth,  July  11   1805. 
"  My  dearest  Brethren, 

"  I  write  you  in  great  haste,  to  thank  you  most  af- 
fectionately for  the  token  of  your  love,  which  our  dear 
brother  and  minister  has  given  me  from  you.  O  may 
my  God  richly  recompense  you  for  your  great  affec- 
tion !  May  he  reward  your  prayers  for  me,  by  pour- 
ing tenfold  blessings  into  your  own  bosoms !  May  he 
bless  you  with  all  spiritual  blessings  in  Christ  Jesus ! 
At  the  command  of  God,  as  I  believe,  I  shall,  in  a  few 
hours,  embark  for  those  regions  where  your  little  pre- 
sent may  be  of  use  to  me,  in  guiding  my  way  through 
the  trackless  desert.  I  pray  that  the  word  of  God, 
which  is  your  compass,  may,  through  the  Spirit,  di- 
rect your  path  through  the  wilderness  of  this  world, 
and  bring  you  in  safety  to  the  better  country  above 
I  beg  your  prayers,  and  assure  you  of  mine.  Remem- 
ber me  sometimes  at  your  social  meetings,  and  parti- 
cularly at  that  which  you  hold  on  the  Sabbath  morn- 
ing. Pray  not  only  for  my  sinful  soul,  that  I  may  be 
kept  faithful  unto  death,  but  especially  for  the  souls 
of  the  poor  heathen.  Whether  I  live  or  die,  let  Christ 
be  magnified  by  the  in-gathering  of  multitudes  to  him- 
self.   I  have  many  trials  awaiting  me,  and  so  have 


HENRY    MARTYN.  101 

you ;  but  that  covenant  of  grace  in  which  we  are  in- 
terested, provides  for  the  weakest,  and  secures  our 
everlasting  welfare.  Farewell,  dear  brethren!  May 
God  long  continue  to  you  the  invaluable  labors  of  your 
beloved  minister;  and  may  you,  with  the  blessing  of 
his  ministry,  grow,  day  by  day,  in  all  spirituality  and 
humility  of  mind;  till  God,  in  his  mercy,  shall  call 
you,  each  in  his  own  time,  to  the  eternal  enjoyment 
of  his  giory." 

The  few  days  Mr.  Martyn  remained  at  Portsmouth 
were  spent  in  conversing  with  his  brethren  on  the 
things  pertaining  to  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  in  social 
supplication  and  thanksgiving.  His  prayer,  on  the  day 
he  expected  finally  to  quit  the  shores  of  England,  will 
not  easily  be  forgotten  by  those  "  who  bowed  their 
knees  together  with  him  to  the  God  and  Father  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ;"  it  ascended  to  the  "lofty  One," 
from  the  lowest  depths  of  humiliation,  and  breathed 
the  most  entire  devotedness  of  body,  soul,  and  spirit, 
to  his  service.  His  whole  demeanor,  indeed,  could  not 
fail  of  tenderly  affecting,  as  well  as  indelibly  impress- 
ing their  hearts  and  minds.  One  of  those  then  pre- 
sent, who  little  thought  that  the  task  he  now  so  ina- 
dequately attempts  to  execute  would  ever  be  assigned 
him,  well  remembers  his  own  sensations  on  that  most 
trying  and  yet  triumphant  occasion  :  and  how  com- 
pletely every  thought  within  him  was  absorbed  in  ad- 
miration of  the  astonishing  grace  bestowed  on  his 
friend,  and  in  bitter  regret  at  being  deprived  of  his 
society.  Nor  let  it  be  surmised  that  the  fondness  of 
friendship  has  exaggerated  the  sacrifices  Mr.  Martyn 
9* 


102  MEMOIR    OP 

was  then  enduring.  A  chaplainship  in  the  East  India 
Company,  to  many,  presents  advantages  highly  va- 
lued and  eagerly  sought;  but,  considered  as  a  pecu- 
niary provision,  it  could  have  no  attractions  for  Mr. 
Martyn.  To  him,  a  curacy  in  Cornwall  would  have 
been  far  preferable :  and  at  Cambridge,  such  was  his 
academical  fame  that  ample  emolument  was  certain. 
In  our  estimate,  too,  of  his  privations,  we  should  re- 
member, that  whilst  motives  not  to  be  disparaged 
carried  many  with  him  far  from  the  happy  land  of 
their  nativity,  the  principles  which  actuated  him  were 
purely  spiritual.  They  also  had  hopes  of  a  return ; 
their  eyes  might  one  day  sparkle  with  joy  on  the 
shores  where  then  they  were  suffused  with  sorrow. 
Mr.  Martyn  had  no  such  anticipations  :  before  him  the 
horizon  was  dark  around — not  a  streak  of  light  was 
visible.  He  went  forth  to  preach  the  Gospel  to  the 
heathen,  and  it  was  his  fixed  resolution  to  live  and 
die  amongst  them.  When  he  left  England,  he  left  it 
wholly  for  Christ's  sake,  and  he  left  it  for  ever. 

On  the  17th  of  July,  1805,  the  Union  East  Indiaman, 
which  was  to  convey  Mr.  Martyn  to  Calcutta,  sailed 
from  Portsmouth  in  company  with  a  large  fleet,  under 
the  command  of  Captain  Byng,  and  two  days  after- 
wards came  to  an  anchor  in  the  port  of  Falmouth.  An 
extract  of  a  letter  written  from  this  place  to  Mr.  Simeon, 
feelingly  depicts  Mr.  Martyn's  sensations,  when,  on 
awaking  on  the  morning  of  the  17th,  it  rushed  upon 
his  mind  that  his  voyage  was  really  commenced.  "It 
was  a  very  painful  moment  to  me  when  I  awoke,  on 
the  morning  after  you  left  us.  and  found  the  fleet  ac- 


HENRY    MARTYN.  103 

tually  sailing  down  the  channel.  Though  it  was  what 
I  had  anxiously  been  looking  forward  to  so  long,  yet 
the  consideration  of  being  parted  for  ever  from  my 
friends,  almost  overcame  me.  My  feelings  were  those 
of  a  man  who  should  suddenly  be  told  that  every 
friend  he  had  in  the  world  was  dead.  It  was  only  by 
prayer  for  them  that  I  could  be  comforted  ;  and  this 
was  indeed  a  refreshment  to  my  soul,  because  by 
meeting  them  at  the  throne  of  grace,  I  seemed  to  be 
again  in  their  society." 

The  arrival  of  the  fleet  at  Falmouth  was  an  event 
wholly  unforeseen  by  Mr.  Martyn,  who  was  somewhat 
agitated  "  at  the  singularity  of  the  providence  of  God, 
in  thus  leading  him  once  more  into  the  bosom  of  all  his 
friends." — "May  the  Lord,"  said  he,  "  glorify  himself 
in  this  and  in  every  other  dispensation  !"  How  trying 
this  dispensation  was  to  him,  it  will  not  require  many 
quotations  from  his  journal  to  demonstrate.  From 
these  it  will  be  evident  that,  delightful  as  it  was  to  him 
once  more  to  land  upon  the  shores  where  he  had 
sported  gayly  in  his  infancy,  and  meditated  divinely  in 
maturer  age,  it  would  have  been  far  happier  for  him 
had  a  storm  in  the  night  hurried  him  past  his  beloved 
Cornwall.  But  God,  who  doeth  all  things  well,  mani- 
festly intended  to  strengthen  his  faith,  by  putting  it  to 
a  severe  exercise. 

July  29. — "  I  was  much  engaged  at  intervals,  in 
learning  the  hymn,  '  The  God  of  Abraham  praise;'  as 
often  as  I  could  use  the  language  of  it  with  any  truth, 
my  heart  was  a  little  at  ease. 


104  MEMOIR    OF 

u  The  God  of  Abraham  praise, 

"  At  whose  supreme  command 
"  From  earth  I  rise,  and  seek  the  joys 

"  At  his  right  hand. 

"  I  all  on  earth  forsake, 

''Its  wisdom,  fame,  and  power* 
"  And  him  my  only  portion  make, 

"My  shield  and  tower." 

"  There  was  something  peculiarly  solemn  and  affect- 
ing to  me  in  this  hymn,  and  particularly  at  this  time. 
The  truth  of  the  sentiments  I  knew  well  enough.  But, 
alas !  I  felt  that  the  state  of  mind  expressed  in  it  was 
above  mine  at  the  time;  and  I  felt  loth  to  forsake  all 
on  earth." 

"  Not  being  able  to  reach  the  ship,  I  slept  at  a  little 
public  house  on  the  road,  where  I  lay  down  in  the  most 
acute  mental  misery,  and  rose  the  next  morning  dis- 
turbed and  unrefreshed.  The  morning  was  beautifully 
serene,  but  on  account  of  the  tempest  within,  that  very 
circumstance  was  disgusting  to  me.  A  dark  and 
stormy  day  would  have  been  more  in  unison  with  my 
feelings." 

"  I  went  on  board  in  extreme  anguish,  and  found  an 
opportunity  in  the  sloop  by  which  I  passed  to  the  ship, 
to  cry,  with  brokenness  of  spirit,  to  the  Lord.  The 
words,  '  Why  sayest  thou,  O  Jacob,  and  speakest,  O 
Israel,  My  way  is  hid  from  the  Lord,  and  my  judg- 
ment is  passed  over  from  my  God,'  were  brought  to 
my  mind  with  such  force,  that  I  burst  into  a  flood  of 
tears ;  and  felt  much  relieved  in  my  soul,  by  the  thought 
that  God  was  thus  compassionate,  and  the  blessed 
Lord  Jesus  a  merciful  and  compassionate  High  Priest, 


HENRY    MARTYN.  105 

who  condescended  to  sympathize  with  me.  In  the  af- 
ternoon it  pleased  God  to  give  me  a  holy  and  blessed 
season  in  prayer,  in  which  my  soul  recovered  much 
of  its  wonted  peace."  Thus  did  God,  in  answer  to 
prayer,  in  some  measure  refresh  his  soul.  An  attempt 
also  which  he  made  to  comfort  another  person  in  the 
ship  with  him,  served  to  invigorate  his  own  drooping 
spirit.  "  They  stood  together,"  as  he  represents  it, 
"looking  anxiously  at  the  raging  sea,  and  sighed  to 
think  of  the  happy  societies  of  God's  people,  who  (as 
it  was  the  Sabbath  day)  were  then  joining  in  sweet 
communion  in  public  worship.  But  the  topics  of  con- 
versation which  Mr.  Martyn  endeavored  to  bring  be- 
fore his  disconsolate  companion  had  a  happy  re-action 
on  his  own  mind :  whilst  cheering  him,  he  was  cheered 
himself.  "  The  blessed  Spirit  of  God  applied  the 
blood  of  Jesus  to  cleanse  away  his  sin,  and  restore 
him  to  comfort:"  and  at  night  he  could  commit  him- 
self to  rest,  "  tossed,"  as  he  expresses  it,  "  by  the  roar- 
ing surge,  but  composed  and  peaceful  with  the  ever- 
lasting arms  underneath  him." 

During  his  detention  for  about  three  weeks  at  Fal- 
mouth, he  preached  several  times  in  the  ship,  as  well 
as  on  shore ;  and,  amongst  other  texts,  he  addressed 
his  hearers  from  that  most  appropriate  one,  'Jesus 
came  and  spake  unto  them,  saying,  All  power  is  given 
unto  me  in  heaven  and  on  earth.  Go  ye,  therefore, 
and  teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them  in  the  name  of 
the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost : 
teaching  them  to  observe  all  things  whatsoever  I 
have  commanded  you :  and  lo !  I  am  with  you  alway, 
even  unto  the  end  of  the  world.    Amen.'    Matt.  28* 


106  MEMOIR   OF 

18-20.  A  sermon  from  Mr.  Marty n  on  those  words  of 
Scripture  was  well  calculated  to  produce  a  powerful 
effect  on  the  minds  of  his  audience:  for  what  more 
striking  comment  upon  the  passage  could  there  be, 
than  the  very  circumstance  of  his  appearing  amongst 
them,  upon  his  apostolical  labor  of  love? 

On  the  10th  of  August  the  signal  was  made  for  the 
ships  to  sail,  at  which  time,  having  been  deceived  by 
the  information  communicated  to  him  concerning  the 
continuance  of  the  fleet  in  port,  Mr.  Martyn  was  ab- 
sent at  the  distance  of  twenty  miles  in  the  country. 
The  express  announcing  this  mistake  was  like  a  thun- 
der-stroke to  him ;  but,  by  making  all  possible  des- 
patch, he  contrived  to  reach  the  Union  just  in  time. 
That  ship,  as  if  by  the  appointment  of  Providence,  had 
met  with  an  accident  in  clearing  out  of  the  harbor, 
which  impeded  her  progress,  whilst  almost  all  the 
others  were  under  way.  The  commander,  as  he  pass- 
ed, expressed  his  displeasure  at  her  delay  ;  but  Mr. 
Martyn  discovered  the  high  and  gracious  hand  of  God 
in  this  event,  and  "blessed  him  for  having  thus  saved 
his  poor  creature  from  shame  and  trouble."  "So  delu- 
sive," to  adopt  his  own  reflections,  "  are  schemes  of 
pleasure!  At  nine  in  the  morning  I  was  sitting  at 
ease  with  the  person  dearest  to  me  upon  earth,  intend- 
ing to  go  out  with  her  afterwards  to  see  different 
views,  to  visit  some  persons  with  her,  and  preach  on 
the  morrow :  four  hours  only  elapsed,  and  I  was  un- 
der sail  from  England." 

The  anxiety  Mr.  Martyn  had  felt  to  reach  his  ship, 
and  the  joy  he  experienced  at  having  effected  his  ob- 
ject, for  a  time  absorbed  other  and  more  sorrowful 


HENRY    MARTYN.  107 

considerations:  but  when  left  a  little  at  leisure,  his 
spirits,  as  he  acknowledges,  began  to  sink.  "  He  seem- 
ed backward,  also,  to  draw  near  to  God ;  and  though, 
when  he  did  so,  he  found  relief,  he  was  still  slow  to 
flee  to  the  refuge  of  his  weary  soul." 

Unhappily  for  him,  during  the  whole  of  the  10th, 
and  for  the  greater  part  of  the  succeeding  day,  Corn- 
wall was  still  in  sight :  and  who  is  there,  endued  with 
the  sensibilities  of  our  common  nature,  but  must  have 
been  subjected  to  the  most  painful  emotions,  whilst 
slowly  passing  for  the  last  time  along  a  coast,  where 
every  object  which  caught  the  eye — every  headland, 
every  building,  every  wood,  served  to  remind  him  of 
endearments  that  were  passed,  and  of  pleasures  never 
to  be  renewed  ? 

That  Apostle  who  professed  that  he  was  "  ready, 
not  to  be  bound  only,  but  to  die  at  Jerusalem,  for  the 
name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,"  exclaimed  also — "  What 
mean  ye  to  weep,  and  to  break  my  heart  ?"  And  he, 
too,  when  sailing  to  Rome,  along  the  "  sea  of  Ciiicia," 
may  well  be  supposed  to  have  looked  mournfully  to- 
wards the  region  of  his  nativity,  and  to  have  thought 
with  pain  on  Tarsus. 

But  Mr.  Martyn's  own  hand  shall  portray  his  feel- 
ings.— Sunday,  August  11.  "I  rose  dejected,  and  ex- 
tremely weak  in  body.  After  simply  crying  to  God 
for  mercy  and  assistance,  I  preached  on  Heb.ll:  16: 
*  But  now  they  desire  a  better  country,  that  is,  a 
heavenly :  wherefore  God  is  not  ashamed  to  be  called 
their  God,  for  he  hath  prepared  for  them  a  city.'  On 
repeating  the  text  a  second  time,  I  could  scarcely  re- 
frain from  bursting  into  tears.   For  the  Mount  and  St. 


108  MEMOIR   OF 

Hilary  spire  and  trees  were  just  discernible  by  the 
naked  eye  at  the  time  I  began  my  sermon,  by  saying, 
M that  now  the  shores  of  England  were  receding  fast 
from  our  view,  and  that  we  had  taken  a  long,  and,  to 
many  of  ns,  an  everlasting  farewell,"  &c.  We  had 
made  little  way  during  the  night,  and  in  the  morning 
I  was  pleased  to  find  that  we  were  in  Mount's  Bay, 
midway  between  the  Land's-end  and  the  Lizard  j  and 
I  was  often  with  my  glass  recalling  those  beloved 
scenes ;  till  after  tea,  when,  on  ascending  the  poop,  I 
found  that  they  had  disappeared:  but  this  did  not 
prevent  my  praying  for  all  on  shore.  Amidst  the  ex- 
treme gloom  of  my  mind  this  day,  I  found  great  plea- 
sure, at  seasons  of  prayer,  in  interceding  earnestly  for 
my  beloved  friends  all  over  England." 

The  dejection  of  mind  of  which  Mr.  Martyn  here 
speaks,  and  which  returned  the  next  day  with  an 
overpowering  influence,  was  evidently  combined  with, 
and  augmented  by,  much  bodily  infirmity;  and  no 
doubt  would  have  been  alleviated  by  the  sympathis- 
ing intercourse  of  a  companion  in  tribulation,  and 
in  the  kingdom  and  patience  of  Jesus  Christ.  The 
original  injunction  given  to  the  seventy,  was  given 
by  him  who  knew  what  was  in  man,  and  who 
therefore  sent  them  "two  and  two  before  his  face 
into  every  city," — for  "two  are  better  than  one,  be- 
cause they  have  a  good  reward  for  their  labor:  for  il 
they  fall,  the  one  will  lift  up  his  fellow:  but  wo  to 
him  that  is  alone  when  he  falleth,  for  he  hath  not 
another  to  help  him  up." — Eccles.  4 : 9,  10. 

"  England  had  disappeared,  and  with  it,  all  my 
peace,"  "  The  pains  of  memory  were  all  I  felt.  Would 


HENRY    MARTYN.  109 

I  go  back ?  Ono!  But  how  can  I  be  supported ?  My 
faith  fails.  I  find,  by  experience,  that  I  am  weak  as 
water.  O  my  dear  friends  in  England !  when  we  spoke 
with  exultation  of  the  mission  to  the  heathen,  whilst 
in  the  midst  of  health,  and  joy,  and  hope ;  what  an 
imperfect  idea  did  we  form  of  the  sufferings  by  which 
it  must  be  accomplished !"  Such  were  the  complain- 
ings of  his  spirit,  overwhelmed  within  him.  Yet  there 
were  moments  when  he  could  "realize  the  realms  of 
glory,"  and  when  "  all  earthly  things  died  away  in 
insignificance." 

On  the  14th  of  August  the  fleet  came  to  an  anchor 
in  the  Cove  of  Cork :  and  there,  in  a  spiritual  sense, 
Mr.  Martyn  found  that  "  haven  where  he  would  be :" 
there  he  discovered  that  "heaviness  may  endure  for  a 
night,  but  joy  cometh  in  the  morning ;"  and  he  who 
before  had  felt  "poor  and  needy,  with  his  heart 
wounded  within  him,"  could  then  say,  "I  will  greatly 
praise  the  Lord  with  my  mouth;"  "  thanks  be  to  God, 
which  causeth  us  always  to  triumph  in  Christ."  2 
Cor.  2:14. — "After  a  long  and  blessed  season  in 
prayer,  I  felt,"  he  says,  "the  spirit  of  adoption  draw- 
ing me  very  near  to  God,  and  giving  me  the  full  assu- 
rance of  his  love.  My  fervent  prayer  was,  that  I  might 
be  more  deeply  and  habitually  convinced  of  his  un- 
changing, everlasting  love,  and  that  my  whole  soul 
might  be  altogether  in  Christ.  I  scarcely  knew  how  to 
express  the  desires  of  my  heart.  I  wanted  to  be  all  in 
Christ,  and  to  have  Christ  for  my  '  all  in  all ;'  to  be  en- 
circled in  his  everlasting  arms,  and  to  be  swallowed 
up  altogether  in  his  fullness.  I  wished  for  no  created 
good,  or  for  men  to  know  my  experience:  but  to  be 
10 


110  MEMOIR  OF 

one  with  thee,  and  live  for  thee,  O  God,  my  Saviof 
and  Lord.  O  may  it  be  my  constant  care  to  live  free 
from  the  spirit  of  bondage,  at  all  times  having  access 
to  the  Father.  This  I  feel  should  be  the  state  of  the 
Christian ;  perfect  reconciliation  with  God,  and  a  per- 
fect appropriation  of  him  in  all  his  endearing  attri- 
butes, according  to  all  that  he  has  promised — it  is  this 
that  shall  bear  me  safely  through  the  storm."  What 
is  this  but  the  happiness  intended  by  the  Psalmist, 
when  he  breaks  forth  in  those  words  of  sublimity  and 
rapture:  "Blessed  are  the  people  which  know  the 
joyful  sound ;  they  shall  walk,  0  Lord,  in  the  light  of 
thy  countenance:  in  thy  name  shall  they  rejoice  all 
the  day,  and  in  thy  righteousness  shall  they  be  ex- 
alted." Psalm  89:15,  16. 

At  Cork  Mr.  Martyn  endeavored  to  procure  an  ad- 
mission to  a  pulpit  in  the  city,  as  well  as  to  preach  to 
the  convicts  going  out  with  the  fleet  to  Botany  Bay, 
but  was  unsuccessful  in  both  these  attempts.  On 
board  his  own  ship  he  regularly  prayed  and  preach- 
ed once  every  Sabbath,  lamenting  that  the  captain 
would  not  permit  the  performance  of  more  than  one 
service.  This  being  the  case,  his  usefulness  in  the 
ship  depended  much,  he  conceived,  on  his  private 
ministrations.  Scarcely  a  day,  therefore,  passed  with- 
out his  going  between  the  decks ;  where,  after  assem- 
bling all  who  were  willing  to  attend,  he  read  to  them 
some  religious  book,  upon  which  he  commented  as  he 
went  on.  "  Some  attend  fixedly — others  are  look- 
ing another  way — some  women  are  employed  about 
their  children,  attending  for  a  little  while,  and  then 
heedless ;  some  rising  up  and  going  away— others  ta- 


HENRY    MARTYN.  Ill 

king  their  place  ;  and  numbers,  especially  of  those  who 
have  been  upon  watch,  strewed  all  along  upon  the  deck 
fast  asleep — one  or  two  from  the  upper  decks  looking 
down  and  listening  ;"  such  is  the  picture  he  draws  of 
his  congregation  below.  The  situation  of  things 
above,  when  he  performed  his  weekly  duty  on  the 
Sabbath,  was  not,  according  to  his  own  statement, 
more  encouraging.  There  the  opposition  of  some,  and 
the  inattention  of  others,  put  his  meekness  and  pa- 
tience very  strongly  to  the  test.  ':  The  passengers," 
as  he  describes  it,  "were  inattentive — the  officers, 
many  of  them  sat  drinking  ;  so  that  he  could  overhear 
their  noise  ;  and  the  captain  was  with  them.  His  own 
soul  was  serious,  and  undisturbed  by  the  irreverence 
of  the  hearers,  and  he  thought  that  he  could  have 
poured  it  out  in  prayer,  without  restraint,  in  defiance 
of  their  scornful  gaze." — u  How  melancholy  and  hu- 
miliating," he  could  not  help  adding,  "  is  this  mode  of 
public  ordinances  on  shipboard,  compared  with  the 
respect  and  joy  with  which  the  multitudes  come  up  to 
hear  my  brethren  on  shore  !  but  this  prepares  me  for 
preaching  amongst  the  heedless  Gentiles." 


112  MEMOIR   OF 


CHAPTER  IV. 


DEPARTURE  FROM  ENGLAND — MINISTRY  ON  BOARD  SHIP — INCI- 
DENTS OF  THE  VOYAGE — VISITS  FDNCHAL — ST.  SALVADOR — 
CAPE  OF  GOOD  HOPE — OPPOSED  IN  HIS  MINISTRY — FEELINGS  IN 
APPROACHING  INDIA — ARRIVES  AT  MADRAS — REACHES  CALCUTTA. 

On  the  31st  of  August,  after  having  been  detained 
above  a  fortnight  in  the  Cove  of  Cork,  the  fleet,  con- 
sisting of  fifty  transports,  five  men-of-war,  and  the  In- 
diaman,  put  to  sea ;  and  now  again  Mr.  Martyn  suffer- 
ed much  both  in  body  and  mind ;  he  became  languid 
and  feverish — his  nights  were  sleepless,  and  his  men- 
tal conflict  was  extremely  sharp.  "My  anguish  at 
times,"  he  says,  "was  inexpressible,  when  I  awoke 
from  my  disturbed  dreams,  to  find  myself  actually  on 
my  way,  with  a  long  sea  rolling  between  me  and  all  I 
held  dear  in  this  life." — "  To  describe  the  variety  of 
perplexing,  heart-rending,  agonizing  thoughts  which 
passed  through  my  mind,  and  which,  united  with  the 
weakness  and  languor  of  my  body,  served  to  depress 
me  into  the  depths  of  misery,  would  be  impossible. 
The  bodily  suffering  would  be  nothing,  did  not  Satan 
improve  his  advantage  in  representing  the  happiness 
and  ease  of  the  life  I  had  left.  However,  God  did  not 
leave  me  quite  alone,  poor  and  miserable  as  I  was.  I 
was  helped  to  recollect  several  things  in  Scripture 
which  encouraged  me  to  hold  on  :  such  as,  '  If  we  suf- 
fer with  him,  we  shall  also  reign  with  him :'  the  exam- 
ples, likewise,  of  Moses,  Abraham,  and  St.  Paul ;  of 


HENRY    MARTYN.  113 

our  blessed  Lord  himself,  and  of  his  saints  at  the  pre- 
sent moment.  I  repeated  the  farewell  discourse  of  St. 
Paul,  and  endeavored  to  think  how  he  would  act  in 
my  situation.  I  thought  of  all  God's  people  looking 
out  after  me  with  expectation — following  me  with 
their  wishes  and  prayers.  I  thought  of  the  holy  an- 
gels, some  of  whom,  perhaps,  were  guarding  me 
on  my  way;  and  of  God  and  of  Christ,  approving 
my  course  and  mission.  '  Who  will  go  for  me  ?  Here 
am  I — send  me.'  I  thought  of  the  millions  of  precious 
souls  that  now  and  in  future  ages  might  be  benefited." 
By  such  considerations  as  these — by  prayer — by  re- 
citing Scripture — by  praying  over  it — by  casting  him- 
self simply  upon  Christ — and  by  looking  upon  pain 
and  suffering  as  his  daily  portion,  (which  thought  won- 
derfully served  to  tranquilize  his  mind)— Mr.  Martyn 
was  carried  through  a  season  of  great  tribulation,  in 
which  he  might  almost  have  adopted  the  words  of  the 
Psalmist,  "Thou  hast  laid  me  in  the  lowest  pit,  in 
darkness,  in  the  deeps.  Thine  indignation  lieth  hard 
upon  me,  and  thou  hast  afflicted  me  with  all  thy 
waves;"  Psalm,  88  :  6,  7.  But  it  is  an  inspired  decla- 
ration, that  "they  that  wait  on  the  Lord  shall  renew 
their  strength :  they  shall  mount  up  with  wings  as  ea- 
gles ;  they  shall  run  and  not  be  weary ;  they  shall  walk 
and  not  faint :"  nor  was  it  long  before  he  could  affix 
his  seal  to  the  truth  of  this  testimony.  "  In  prayer," 
he  says  shortly  after  this,  "I  soon  launched  sweetly 
into  eternity,  and  found  joy  unspeakable  in  thinking 
of  my  future  rest,  and  of  the  boundless  love  and  joy  I 
should  ever  taste  in  Christ's  beloved  presence  here- 
after. I  found  no  difficulty  in  stirring  mvself  up  to  the 

10* 


114  MEMOIR   OF 

contemplation  of  heaven — my  soul  through  grace  re- 
alized it,  and  I  delighted  to  dwell,  by  faith,  on  those 
blissful  scenes." 

Shortly  after  the  fleet  had  sailed  from  Ireland,  a  tre- 
mendous storm  arose ;  and  though  it  was  the  first  that 
Mr.  Marty n  had  ever  witnessed,  his  mind  was  kept, 
during  a  night  of  general  anxiety  and  consternation, 
in  perfect  peace.  "  He  lay,  endeavoring  to  realize  his 
speedy  appearance  before  God  in  judgment — not  in- 
deed without  sorrowful  convictions  of  his  sinfulness, 
and  supplications  for  mercy  in  the  name  of  Jesus,  but 
with  a  full  confidence  in  the  willingness  of  God  to  re- 
ceive him,  and  a  desire  to  depart."  But  he  was  chief- 
ly led  "  to  think  of  the  many  poor  souls  in  the  ship, 
and  to  pray  that  they  might  have  a  longer  time  for  re- 
pentance, and  that  the  terrors  of  that  night  might  be 
of  lasting  benefit."  In  the  morning,  when  the  vessel 
was  going  under  bare  poles,  the  sea  covered  with  so 
thick  a  mist  from  the  spray  and  rain  that  nothing 
could  be  seen  but  the  tops  of  the  nearest  waves,  which 
seemed  to  be  running  over  the  windward  side  of  the 
ship — he  seized  the  opportunity  of  pointing  out  the 
way  of  salvation  to  one  of  the  passengers,  who  ap- 
peared much  terrified ;  and  most  willingly,  had  cir- 
cumstances permitted,  would  he  have  preached  to  the 
whole  ship's  company,  warning  them  to  flee  from  the 
wrath  to  come,  and  to  lay  hold  on  eternal  life.  The 
Sunday  following  he  read  the  thanksgiving  prayer 
after  a  storm. 

Mr.  Marty  n's  voyage,  before  this  alarming  tempest, 
had  been  far  from  expeditious.  Seven  wearisome  weeks 
had  he  passed  without  having  proceeded  farther  than 


HENRY    MARTYN.  115 

the  latitude  of  the  Lizard.  The  wind  now  began  to 
carry  him  forward,  and  about  the  end  of  the  month  of 
September  he  reached  Madeira. 

His  journal,  during  the  interval  between  the  subsid- 
ing of  the  storm  and  his  arrival  at  Porto  Santo,  con- 
tains these  admirable  reflections : 

Sept.  9. — "My  chief  concern  was,  that  this  season  of 
peace  might  be  improved  :  when  the  Lord  gave  David 
rest  from  all  his  enemies  round  about,  then  he  began 
to  think  of  building  a  temple  to  the  Lord.  Passed 
many  sweet  hours  of  the  evening  in  reading — found  a 
rich  feast  in  reading  Hooker's  Sermons :  the  doctrines 
of  grace  are  a  cordial  to  me.  We  are  now  in  latitude 
46°,  long  12°.  The  sea,  which  I  am  looking  on  from 
the  port-hole,  is  comparatively  smooth,  yet  it  exhibits 
the  moon-beams  only  in  broken  reflections.  It  is  thus 
an  emblem  of  my  heart ;  no  longer  tossed  with  tempes- 
tuous passions,  it  has  subsided  a  little;  but  still  the 
mild  beams  of  the  Spirit  fall  on  an  undulating  surface  ; 
but  the  time  of  perfect  rest  approaches." 

Sept.  10. — "  Endeavored  to  consider  what  should  be 
my  study  and  preparation  for  the  mission ;  but  could 
devise  no  particular  plan,  but  to  search  the  Scriptures, 
what  are  God's  promises  respecting  the  spread  of  the 
Gospel,  and  the  means  by  which  it  shall  be  accom- 
plished. Long  seasons  of  prayer  in  behalf  of  the  hea- 
then I  am  sure  are  necessary.  Isaiah,  62.  I  began 
Isaiah,  and  learnt  by  heart  the  promises  scattered 
through  the  first  twelve  chapters,  hoping  it  may  prove 
profitable  matter  for  meditation  as  well  as  prayer.  Read 
the  Pilgrim's  Progress,  below,  amidst  the  greatest  noise 
and  interruption.    Notwithstanding  the  clamor,  I  felt 


116  MEMOIR    OF 

as  if  I  could  preach  to  a  million  of  noisy  persons  with 
unconquerable  boldness.  We  have  been  becalmed  the 
whole  day.  I  fear  my  soul  has  been  much  in  the  same 
state  :  but  I  would  not  that  it  should  be  so  any  longer." 

Sept.  13. — !/'  In  my  walk,  my  attention  was  engaged 
by  the  appearance  of  mutiny  amongst  the  men.  Last 
night  the  ship's  crew  and  the  soldiers  refused  their  al- 
lowance, and  this  morning,  when  they  piped  to  dinner, 
they  gave  three  cheers.  After  some  time,  a  seaman  was 
fixed  on  as  the  ringleader;  and  from  his  behavior  I 
was  not  sorry  to  hear  the  captain  order  him  to  be  put 
into  irons.  As  it  was  a  sorrowful  and  humiliating  thing 
to  me,  I  retired  to  pray  for  them  and  myself.  In  the 
afternoon  I  read  as  usual,  and  found  two  occasions  of 
speaking  in  reference  to  the  mutinous  murmurs." 

Sept.  14. — "  Found  great  pleasure  and  profit  in  Mil- 
ner's  Church  History.  I  love  to  converse,  as  it  were, 
with  those  holy  martyrs,  with  whom  I  hope,  through 
grace,  to  spend  a  happy  eternity." 

Sept.  15. — Sunday.  "  '  He  that  testifieth  these  things 
saith,  Behold,  I  come  quickly. — Amen.  Even  so, 
come  quickly,  Lord  Jesus !'  Happy  John  !  though 
shut  out  from  society  and  the  ordinances  of  grace ; 
happy  wast  thou  in  thy  solitude,  when  by  it  thou  wast 
induced  thus  gladly  to  welcome  the  Lord's  words,  and 
repeat  them  with  a  prayer.  Read  and  preached  on 
Acts,  13  :  38,  39.  In  the  latter  part,  when  I  was  led  to 
speak,  without  preparation,  on  the  all-sufficiency  ot 
Christ  to  save  sinners,  who  came  to  him  with  all  their 
sins  without  delay,  I  was  carried  away  with  a  divine 
aid,  to  speak  with  freedom  and  energy  :  my  soul  was 
refreshed,  and  I  retired,  seeing  reason  to  be  thankful 


HENRY    MARTYN.  1J7 

The  weather  was  fair  and  calm,  inviting  the  mind  to 
tranquillity  and  praise  :  the  ship  just  moved  upon  the 
face  of  the  troubled  ocean.  I  went  below  in  hopes  of 
reading  Baxter's  Call  to  the  Unconverted ;  but  there 
was  no  getting  down,  as  they  were  taking  out  water ; 
so  I  sat  with  the  seamen  on  the  gun-deck.  As  I  walked 
in  the  evening  at  sun-set,  I  thought  with  pleasure,  but 
a  few  more  suns,  and  I  shall  be  where  my  sun  shall 
no  more  go  down.  Read  Isaiah  the  rest  of  the  even- 
ing; sometimes  happy,  but  at  other,  times  tired,  and 
desiring  to  take  up  some  other  religious  book  ;  but  I 
saw  it  an  important  duty  to  check  this  slighting  of  the 
word  of  God." 

Sept.  16. — "Two  things  were  much  in  my  mind 
this  morning  in  prayer  ;  the  necessity  of  entering  more 
deeply  into  my  own  heart,  and  laboring  after  humilia- 
tion, and,  for  that  reason,  setting  apart  times  for  fast- 
ing; as  also  to  devote  times  for  solemn  prayer  for  fit- 
ness in  the  ministry;  especially  love  for  souls ;  and  for 
the  effusion  of  the  Spirit  on  heathen  lands,  according 

to  God's  command.    M coming  in,  said  that  many 

had  become  more  hostile  than  ever;  saying,  they 
should  come  up  to  prayers,  because  they  believed  I  was 
sincere ;  but  not  to  the  sermon,  as  I  did  nothing  but 
preach  about  hell ;  I  hope  this  portends  good.  Pre- 
vented reading  below  from  the  same  cause  as  on 
Sunday." 

Sept.  17. — "  It  began  to  blow  hard  again  ;  the  calm- 
ness and  pleasure  with  which  I  contemplated  death, 
made  me  rather  fear  that  I  did  not  fear  it  enough. 
Read  below  with  the  soldiers. 

Sept.  18. — "  Rose  ill,  and  continued  so  all  the  day. 


118  MEMOIR    OF 

Tried  to  encourage  myself  in  the  Lord.  Looking  at 
the  sea,  my  soul  was  enabled  to  rejoice  in  the  great 
maker  of  it  as  my  God." 

Sept.  19.—"  Was  assisted  this  morning  to  pray  for 
two  hours,  principally  in  regard  to  God's  promises  re- 
specting the  spread  of  the  Gospel.  Read  Hindoostanee 
and  Milner ;  found  the  men  forbidden  to  go  below,  so 
I  know  not  how  they  are  to  be  instructed ;  may  the 
Lord  open  a  way  !— The  weather  is  calm  and  sultry, 
my  frame  relaxed  to  a  painful  degree ;  I  am  led  to 
seek  a  quiet,  meek  submission  to  every  thing  that  shall 
befall  me.  O !  this  blessed  frame,  would  that  it  may 
continue  !  I  feel  it  to  be  the  right  disposition  of  a  crea- 
ture, approving  of  every  thing,  because  it  is  God's 
doing." 

Sept.  20. — "  My  soul  was  blessed  with  a  sacred  and 
holy  reverence  in  the  work  of  God  this  morning:  it 
was  the  sentiment  of  serious  love,  such  as  I  should  al- 
ways wish  to  maintain.  To  behold  God  in  his  glory, 
and  worship  him  for  what  he  is  in  himself,  I  should 
believe,  is  the  bliss  of  heaven.  Exercised  myself  in 
Hindoostanee ;  read  the  Pilgrim's  Progress  to  a  few 
below  deck ;  continued  to  delight  in  the  prospect  of 
preaching  in  India.  The  example  of  the  Christians  of 
the  early  ages  has  been  a  source  of  sweet  reflection  to 
me  frequently  to-day ;  the  holy  love  and  devout  medita- 
tions of  Augustine  and  Ambrose  I  delight  to  think  of." 

Sept.  21. — "  I  seemed  uneasy  at  the  thoughts  of 
calling  forth  the  hatred  of  the  people  to-morrow,  by 
preaching  to  them  unpleasant  truths." 

Sept.  22. — Sunday.  "  Was  more  tried  by  the  fear  of 
man  than  I  ever  have  been  since  God  called  me  to 


HENRY    MAKTYN-  119 

the  ministry.  The  threats  and  opposition  of  these  men 
made  me  unwilling  to  set  before  them  the  truths  which 
they  hated  ;  yet  I  had  no  species  of  hesitation  about 
doing  it.  They  had  let  me  know  that  if  I  would  preach 
a  sermon  like  one  of  Blair's,  they  should  be  glad  to 
hear  it,  but  they  would  not  attend  if  so  much  of  hell 

was  preached.  This  morning,  again  Captain said 

1  Mr.  Martyn  must  not  damn  us  to-day,  or  none  will 
come  again.'  I  was  a  little  disturbed ;  but  Luke,  10, 
and  above  all  our  Lord's  last  address  to  his  disciples, 
John,  14  :  16,  strengthened  me,  and  I  took  for  my  text 
Psalm  9  :  17,  '  The  wicked  shall  be  turned  into  hell, 
and  all  the  nations  that  forget  God.'  The  officers  were 
all  behind  my  back,  in  order  to  have  an  opportunity 

of  retiring  in  case  of  dislike.   B attended  the  whole 

time.    H ,  as  soon  as  he  heard  the  text,  went  back 

and  said  he  would  hear  no  more  about  hell ;  so  he  em- 
ployed himself  in  feeding  the  geese.    said  I  had 

shut  him  up  in  hell ;  and  the  universal  cry  was,  '  We 
are  all  to  be  damned.'  However,  God,  I  trust,  blessed 
the  sermon  to  the  good  of  many.  Some  of  the  cadets, 
and  many  of  the  soldiers,  were  in  tears.  I  felt  an  ardor 
and  vehemence  in  some  parts  which  are  unusual  with 

me.   After  service,  walked  the  deck  with  Mrs.  ■ ; 

she  spoke  with  so  much  simplicity  and  amiable  humi- 
lity that  I  was  full  of  joy  and  adoration  to  God  for  a 
sheep  brought  home  to  his  fold.  In  the  afternoon  went 
below,  intending  to  read  to  them  at  the  hatchway,  but 
there  was  not  one  of  them  ;  so  I  could  get  nothing  to 
do  among  the  poor  soldiers." 

Sept.  23. — "  We  are  just  to  the  south  of  all  Europe, 
and  I  bid  adieu  to  it  for  ever,  without  a  wish  of  ever 


120  MEMOIR   OF 

revisiting  it,  and  still  less  with  any  desire  of  taking  up 
my  rest  in  the  strange  land  to  which  I  am  going.  Ah  ! 
no — farewell,  perishing  world  !  '  To  me  to  live'  shall 
be  '  Christ.'  I  have  nothing  to  do  here  but  to  labor 
as  a  stranger,  and  by  secret  prayer  and  outward  exer- 
tion do  as  much  as  possible  for  the  church  of  Christ 
and  my  own  soul,  till  my  eyes  close  in  death,  and  my 
soul  wings  its  way  to  a  brighter  world.  Strengthen 
me,  O  God,  my  Savior,  that,  whether  living  or  dying, 
I  may  be  thine." 

Sept.  24. — "  The  determination  with  which  I  went 
to  bed  last  night,  of  devoting  this  day  to  prayer  and 
fasting,  I  was  enabled  to  put  into  execution." 

Sept.  25. — "  Most  of  the  morning  employed  in  Hin- 
doostanee.  Read  the  Pilgrim's  Progress  and  Baxter 
below.  Had  a  long  conversation  with  one  of  the 
Lascars." 

Sept.  27.—"  The  oaths  I  heard  on  deck  moved  my 
indignation  ;  but  I  recollected  the  words  of  the  Mace- 
donian in  the  dream,  "  Come  over  and  help  us."  Pro- 
bably there  was  no  one  in  Macedon  that  felt  his  need 
of  help,  but  the  Holy  Spirit  put  it  in  this  engaging  way, 
because  they  did  request  as  much  by  their  silent  mise- 
ry. So  I  thought  that  every  oath  they  swore,  was  a 
call  on  me  to  help  them.  In  the  afternoon  I  was  told 
that  I  could  not  go  below,  as  there  had  been  fires  light- 
ed to  air  the  deck.  Went,  by  way  of  changing  the 
scene,  in  a  boat  to  the  Sarah  Christiana,  about  three 
miles  off.  It  was  a  novel  thing  to  be  in  a  little  boat  in 
the  midst  of  the  great  ocean.  The  nearest  main-land, 
Africa,  was  three  hundred  and  fifty  miles  distant.  I 
reflected  without  pain  that  England  was  eleven  hun- 
dred miles  off" 


HENRY  MARTYX.  121 

Sept.  28, — "  My  thoughts  were  much  engaged,  as 
Well  as  those  about  me,  with  the  prospect  of  going  on 
shore.  They  were  doing  nothing  else  for  hours,  but 
looking  out  with  their  glasses  for  land.  After  dinner, 
on  coming  out,  I  saw  the  majestic  heights  of  Porto 
Santo,  distant  about  five  or  six  leagues.  Again  I  was 
disappointed  of  going  below,  from  the  same  cause  as 
before.  Was  diverted  from  my  proper  work  by  look- 
ing at  a  Portuguese  grammar.  So  astonishing  is  the 
weakness  of  my  heart,  that  every  trifle  has  power  to 
draw  me  from  that  communion  with  God  which  my 
better  will  chooses  as  my  best  and  beloved  portion. 
O  for  the  steady  'abiding  under  the  shadow  of  the 
Almighty;'  and  as  the  days  pass  on,  and  bring  me 
nearer  to  the  end  of  the  things  which  are  seen,  so  let 
me  be  more  and  more  quickened,  to  be  ready  for  the 
unseen  world." 

"  By  faith  I  see  the  land 
"  With  peace  and  plenty  blest: 
11  A  land  of  sacred  liberty 
"And  endless  rest." 

Mr.  Martyn's  diligence  in  his  humble  and  despised 
ministrations  amongst  the  soldiers  in  the  ship  with 
him,  will  not  have  escaped  the  attention  of  those  who 
have  read  the  above  extracts.  It  will  have  been  re- 
marked, that  there  were  not  many  days  in  which  he 
remitted  this  work.  Nor  was  his  labor  confined  to  the 
soldiers;  their  officers  were  addressed  by  him  with 
equal  earnestness,  on  every  fair  and  favorable  oppor- 
tunity. With  some  he  had  frequent  religious  conver- 
sations. The  cadets,  also,  lie  endeavored  to  "allure  to 
11 


122  Merloni  or 

brighter  worlds;"  and  to  show  that  he  had  alse  their 
welfare  in  this  world  at  heart,  he  offered  gratuitously 
to  instruct  m  mathematics  as  many  as  chose  to  come 
to  him;  an  offer  which  several  accepted:  and  as  if 
this  were  not  enough  to  occupy  his  time,  he  under- 
took also  to  read  French  with  another  passenger,  who 
was  desirous  of  improvement  in  that  language.  He 
was  willing  to  "become  all  things  to  all  men,  that  he 
might  by  all  means  gain  some."  How  far  it  were  wise 
in  him  to  preach  upon  the  awful  subject  of  eternal 
misery  immediately  after  an  injunction  to  abstain 
from  such  a  topic,  is  a  question  which  may  admit  of 
a  diversity  of  sentiment.  Certain,  however,  it  is,  that 
men  may  be  told,  "  even  weeping,  that  their  end  is 
destruction;"  and  the  temper  by  whicn  Mr.  Marty n 
was  invariably  characterized,  leaves  no  room  to  doubt 
that  his  conduct  in  this  instance  was  influenced  by  an 
imperious  sense  of  duty,  and  by  the  tender  overflow- 
ings of  love. 

The  sight  of  a  foreign  land,  where  superstition  held 
her  dark  and  undisputed  sway,  naturally  excited  a 
new  train  of  sensations  in  Mr.  Marty  n;s  mind,  which  he 
thus  communicated  from  Funchal,  to  a  near  relation 
at  Faimouth.  "Yesterday  morning  we  came  to  an 
anchor  at  this  place.  The  craggy  mountains,  at  the 
foot  of  which  Funchal  is  situated,  make  a  most  grand 
and  picturesque  appearance.  On  entering  the  town,  I 
was  struck  with  the  conviction  of  being  in  a  foreign 
country.  Everything  was  different:  the  houses,  even 
the  poorest,  all  regular  and  stately — every  where 
groves  of  orange  and  lemon  trees — the  countenances, 
and  dress,  and  manners  of  the  people  different  from 


HENRY    MARTYN.  123 

those  I  had  been  used  to — black-skirted  Catholic 
priests,  and  nun-like  women,  with  beads  and  a  cruci- 
fix, passing  in  all  directions.  How  would  St.  Paul 
have  sighed  in  passing  through  this  town,  so  wholly 
given  up  to  idolatry!  I  went  to  the  great  church, 
where  they  were  performing  high  mass,  and  was  per- 
fectly dazzied  with  the  golden  splendor  of  the  place. 
But  all  the  external  aids  of  devotion  lost  their  usual 
effect  upon  me,  while  I  contemplated  the  endless  multi- 
tude of  mountebank  tricks  the  priests  were  exhibiting. 
Is  it  possible,  thought  I,  that  this  should  be  a  Chris- 
tian church  !  There  was  no  appearance  of  attention, 
excepting  in  one  poor  African  woman,  who  was  cross- 
ing herself  repeatedly,  with  the  utmost  expression  of 
contrition  in  her  countenance." 

After  remaining  four  days  at  Funchal,  the  fleet  put 
to  sea,  information  having  been  previously  imparted 
to  the  army  that  their  object  was  the  capture  of  the 
Cape  of  Good  Hope,  and  that  accordingly  they 
might  expect,  ere  long,  to  meet  an  enemy  on  the  field 
of  battle. 

Intelligence  of  this  nature  served  to  quicken  that 
activity  and  zeal  which,  in  Mr.  Martyn,  had  not  hi- 
therto been  either  sluggish  or  supine.  He  was  there- 
fore perpetually  visiting,  or  attempting  to  visit,  that 
part  of  his  flock  which  was  so  soon  to  be  exposed  to 
the  perils  of  warfare.  '"I  entreated  them  even  with 
tears,"  said  he,  '"out  of  fervent  love  for  their  souls, 
and  I  could  have  poured  away  my  life  to  have  per- 
suaded them  to  return  to  God."  By  a  sentence  in 
Milner's  Church  History — ':To  believe,  to  suffer,  and 
to  love,  was  the  primitive  taste  " — he  states  that  his 


124  MEMOIR   OF 

mind,  at  this  time,  was  very  deeply  impressed ;  observ- 
ing that  "  no  uninspired  sentence  ever  affected  him 
so  much."  It  was,  in  fact,  an  epitome  of  his  own  life, 
conversation,  and  spirit :  a  lively  exemplification  of 
which  is  to  be  found  in  the  manner  in  which,  during 
this  part  of  the  voyage,  he  strove  against  an  extreme 
and  oppressive  languor  of  body,  which  tended  to  im- 
pede his  present  labors,  and  threatened  to  impair  his  fu- 
ture efficiency.  "  The  extreme  weakness  and  languor 
of  my  body  made  me  fear  I  should  never  be  used  as  a 
preacher  in  India:  but  what,"  said  he,  "means  this 
anxiety  1  Is  it  not  of  God  that  I  am  led  into  outward 
difficulties,  that  my  faith  may  be  tried?  Suppose  you 
are  obliged  to  return,  or  that  you  never  see  India,  but 
wither  and  die  here,  what  is  that  to  you?  Do  the  will 
of  God  where  you  are,  and  leave  the  rest  to  him." — 
"  I  found  great  satisfaction  in  reflecting  that  my 
hourly  wisdom  was,  not  to  repine,  or  to  look  for  a 
change ;  but  to  consider  what  is  my  duty  in  existing 
circumstances,  and  then  to  do  it,  in  dependence  upon 
grace."  So  deeply  was  his  soul  imbued  with  the 
u  primitive  taste,"  and  so  entirely  did  it  accord  with 
that  wise  maxim  of  such  universal  but  difficult  ap- 
plication— 

"  Tu  tua  fac  cures — csetcra  mitte  Deo."* 

The  voyage  from  Pcrto  Santo  to  St.  Salvador 
(Brazil)  was  accomplished  in  little  more  than  five 
weeks;  during  which  the  special  Providence  of  God 

?  T nkf;  caie  to  do  your  duty ,  leave  the  rest  to  Cod. 


HENRY    MARTYN.  125 

watched  over  Mr.  Martyn  and  those  who  sailed  with 
him.  Soon  after  crossing  the  line,  on  the  30th  of  Oc- 
tober, the  Union,  in  which  he  sailed,  passed  in  the 
night  within  a  very  short  distance  of  a  dangerous  reef 
of  rocks,  which  proved  destructive  to  two  other  ves- 
sels. The  reef  lay  exactly  across  the  track  of  the 
Union;  and  had  not  the  second  mate,  who  was  on 
watch,  called  up  the  captain  and  the  first  mate  as  soon 
as  danger  was  discovered,  they  would  inevitably  have 
been  wrecked  :  their  escape  was  considered  as  almost 
miraculous.  Pieces  of  the  ships  that  were  dashed 
against  the  rocks  floated  by  them,  and  many  of  those 
who  had  been  cast  on  the  reef  were  seen  making  sig- 
nals for  assistance.  The  anxiety  on  board  the  Union 
respecting  these  unhappy  persons  was  intense:  hap 
pily  they  were  all  saved,  with  the  exception  of  three 
officers,  one  of  whom  lost  his  life  in  endeavoring  to 
secure  a  large  sum  of  money  :  leaving  the  vessel  too 
soon,  he  sunk  to  rise  no  more ;  and,  as  it  was  sup- 
posed, was  devoured  by  the  sharks  which  surrounded 
the  ships  in  great  numbers.  Nor  was  this  the  only 
peril  which  the  Union  escaped :  on  the  coast  of  South 
America  she  incurred  a  similar  risk.  "  O  how  sweet," 
remarked  Mr.  Martyn,  "  to  perceive  such  repeated  in- 
stances of  God's  guardian  care  SM  During  this  part  of 
the  vo)rage,  the  novel  sight  of  the  flying  fish  beginning 
to  attract  attention,  Mr.  Martyn's  mind,  ever  fertile  in 
topics  of  humiliation,  could  discover  "a  resemblance 
to  his  own  soul  in  these  poor  little  creatures,  who  rose 
to  a  little  height,  and  then  in  a  minute  or  two.  when 
their  fins  were  dry,  dropped  into  the  waves."  Others, 
doubtless^  would  have  chosen  for  him  a  far  different 
11* 


12G  MEMOIR   OP 

similitude,  and  would  have  sought  it  rather  in  the 
eagle  soaring  into  the  fields  of  light,  or  in  the  dove  of 
the  poet, 

"When  at  length  she  springs 
"  To  smoother  flight,  and  shoots  upon  her  wings." — Dryden. 

"I  find  (Mr.  Martyn  wrote,  on  his  arrival  at  St.  Sal- 
vador, to  a  friend  in  England)  that  neither  distance  or 
time  can  separate  the  hearts  which  are  united  in  the 
fellowship  of  the  Gospel  as  well  as  hy  mutual  esteem. 
Mere  earthly  affections  are  weakened  by  time  and  ab- 
sence ;  but  Christian  love  grows  stronger  as  the  day  of 
salvation  approaches.  Already  a  watery  waste  of  four 
thousand  miles  lies  between  me  and  England:  but  be- 
cause I  have  you  in  my  heart,  and  make  mention  of 
you  without  ceasing  in  my  prayers,  you  seem  yet 
scarcely  out  of  sight. 

To  another  friend  he  wrote  : 

"Though  along  sea  is  already  rolling  betwixt  up, 
yet  I  scarcely  seem  to  have  lost  sight  of  you,  or  of  my 
dear  friends  at  Cambridge.  The  hymns  we  sing,  be- 
ing chiefly  taken  from  your  collection,  daily  bring  to 
my  remembrance  the  happy  days  when  I  went  with 
the  multitude  to  the  house  of  God,  with  the  voice  of 
joy  and  praise.  Those  seasons  are  gone  by ;  but  I  com- 
fort myself  with  thinking  that  they  will  quickly  be 
renewed  in  a  better  country,  when  we  come  to  dwell 
together  in  the  mansions  of  our  Father's  house." 

The  description  of  St.  Salvador  and  the  events  con- 


HENRY    MARTYN.  127 

nccted  with  Mr.  Martyn's  stay  there,  we  have  thus  re- 
corded at  some  length  : 

Nov.  12. — "  The  coast  was  beautiful,  with  much  ro- 
mantic scenery.  The  town  exactly  resembled  Funchal, 
but  was  rather  more  cheerful.  The  objects  in  the  street 
were  strong  negro-men  slaves,  carrying  very  heavy 
casks  on  a  pole,  with  a  sort  of  unpleasant  note — negro- 
women  carrying  fish,  fruit,  &c. — a  few  palanquins, 
which  are  drawn  by  two  mules.  The  things  exposed 
to  sale  were  turtles,  bananas,  oranges,  limes,  papaws, 
water-melons,  tamarinds,  and  fustick  wood.  I  walked 
up  the  hill  in  order  to  get  into  the  country,  and  ob- 
served a  man  standing  by  the  way-side,  holding  out, 
for  the  people's  salutation,  a  silver  embossed  piece  of 
plate  of  a  small  oval  size,  and  repeating  some  words 
about  St.  Antonio.  Some  kissed  it;  others  took  off 
their  hats ;  but  the  man  himself  seemed  to  ridicule 
their  folly.  They  were  performing  mass  in  one  church ; 
it  was  not  so  splendid  as  that  of  Madeira ;  many  of  the 
priests  were  negroes.  I  soon  reached  the  suburbs,  on 
the  outside  of  which  was  a  battery  which  commanded 
a  view  of  the  whole  bay,  and  repeated  the  hymn, 
'  O'er  the  gloomy  hills  of  darkness.'  What  happy 
missionary  shall  be  sent  to  bear  the  name  of  Christ  to 
these  western  regions !  When  shall  this  beautiful  coun- 
try be  delivered  from  idolatry  and  spurious  Christian- 
ity!  Crosses  there  are  in  abundance  j  but  when  shall 
the  doctrine  of  the  cross  be  held  up !  I  continued  my 
walk  in  quest  of  a  wood,  or  some  trees,  where  I  might 
sit  down ;  but  ail  was  appropriated  :  no  tree  was  to  be 
approached  except  through  an  enclosure.  At  last  I 
came  to  a  magnificent  porch,  before  a  garden  gate, 


128  MEMOIR    OF 

which  was  open  ;  I  walked  in,  but  finding  the  vista  led 
straight  to  the  house,  I  turned  to  the  right,  and  found 
myself  in  a  grove  of  cocoa-nut  trees,  orange  trees,  and 
several  strange  fruit  trees ;  under  them  was  nothing 
but  rose-trees,  but  no  verdure  on  the  ground  :  oranges 
were  strewed  like  apples  in  an  orchard.  Perceiving 
that  I  was  observed  by  the  slaves,  I  came  up  to  the 
house,  and  was  directed  by  them  to  an  old  man  sitting 
under  a  tree,  apparently  insensible  from  illness.  I  spoke 
to  him  in  French  and  in  English  ;  but  he  took  no  no- 
tice. Presently  a  young  man  and  a  young  lady  ap- 
peared, to  whom  I  spoke  in  French,  and  was  very  po- 
litely desired  to  sit  down  at  a  little  table,  which  was 
standing  under  a  large  space  before  the  house  like  a 
veranda.  They  brought  me  oranges,  and  a  small  red 
acid  fruit,  the  name  of  which  I  asked,  but  cannot  re- 
collect. The  young  man  sat  opposite,  conversing  about 
Cambridge ;  he  had  been  educated  in  a  Portuguese  uni- 
versity. Almost  immediately  on  finding  I  was  of  Cam 
bridge,  he  invited  me  to  come  when  I  liked  to  his 
house.  A  slave,  after  bringing  the  fruit,  was  sent  to 
gather  three  roses  for  me  :  the  master  then  walked 
with  me  round  the  garden,  and  showed  me,  among  the 
rest,  the  coffee-plant:  when  I  left  him,  he  repeated  his 
invitation.  Thus  did  the  Lord  give  his  servant  favor 
in  the  eyes  of  Antonio  Joseph  Corre." 

Nov.  13. — "This  morning  there  was  a  great  storm 
of  thunder,  lightning,  and  rain,  which  awoke  me.  I 
got  up  and  prayed.  Oh !  when  the  last  thunder 
echoes  from  pole  to  pole,  I  shall  be  in  earnest,  if  not 
before. 

Nov.  14. — "Sennor  Antonio  received  me  with  the 


HENRY    MARTYN.  15S9 

same  cordiality:  he  begged  me  to  dine  with  him.  1 
was  curious  and  attentive  to  observe  the  difference  be- 
tween the  Portuguese  manners  and  ours:  there  were 
but  two  plates  laid  on  the  table,  and  the  dinner  con- 
sisted of  a  great  number  of  small  mixed  dishes,  fol- 
lowing one  another  in  quick  succession;  but  none  of 
them  very  palatable.  In  the  cool  of  the  evening  we 
walked  out  to  see  his  plantation  ;  here  every  tiling 
possessed  the  charm  of  novelty.  The  grounds  includ- 
ed two  hills,  and  a  valley  between  them.  The  hills 
were  covered  with  cocoa-nut  trees,  bananas,  mangoes, 
orange  and  lemon  trees,  olives,  coffee,  chocolate,  and 
cotton  plants,  &c  fan  the  valley  was  a  large  planta- 
tion of  a  shrub  or  a  tree,  bearing  a  cluster  of  small 
berries,  which  he  desired  me  to  taste:  I  did,  and  found 
it  was  pepper.  It  had  lately  been  introduced  from 
Batavia,  and  answered  very  well.  It  grows  on  a  stem 
about  the  thickness  of  a  finger,  to  the  height  of 
about  seven  feet,  and  is  supported  by  a  stick,  which, 
at  that  height,  has  another  across  it  for  the  branches 
to  spread  upon.  Slaves  were  walking  about  the 
grounds,  watering  the  trees  and  turning  up  the  earth: 
the  soil  appeared  very  dry  and  loose.  At  night  I  re- 
turned to  the  ship  in  one  of  the  country  boats  ;  which 
are  canoes  madeol  a  tree  hollowed  out,  ana  paddled 
by  three  men." 

Nov.  18. — '-Went  ashore  at  six  o'clock,  and  found 
that  Sennor  Antonio  had  been  waiting  for  me  two 
hours.  It  being  too  late  to  go  into  the  country,  I  staid 
at  his  house  till  dinner.  He  kept  me  too  much  in  his 
company,  but  I  found  intervals  for  retirement.  In  a 
cool  and  shady  part  of  the  garden,  near  some  water,  I 


130  MEMOIR    OF 

sat  and  sang — '  O'er  the  gloomy  hills  of  darkness.'  I 
could  read  and  pray  aloud,  as  there  was  no  fear  of 
any  one  understanding  me.  In  the  afternoon  we 
went  in  a  palanquin  to  visit  his  father.  Reading  the 
eighty-fourth  Psalm,  ■  O  how  amiable  are  thy  taberna- 
cles,' this  morning  in  the  shade,  the  day  when  I  read 
it  last  under  the  trees  with  L was  brought  forci- 
bly to  my  remembrance,  and  produced  some  degree  of 
melancholy.  Of  this  I  was  thinking  all  the  way  I  was 
carried  :  and  the  train  of  reflections  into  which  I  was 
led,  drew  oft'  my  attention  from  the  present  scene.  We 
vi.sited  in  our  way  a  monastery  of  Carmelites  ;  in  the 
church  belonging  to  it,  my  friend  Antonio  knelt  some 
time  and  crossed  himself:  I  was  surprised,  but  said 
nothing.  At  his  father's  house  I  was  described  to 
them  as  one  who  knew  every  thing — Arabic,  Persian, 
Greek,  &c. ;  and  all  stared  at  me  as  if  I  had  dropped 
from  the  skies.  The  father,  Sennor  Dominigo,  spoke 
a  little  Latin.  A  priest  came  in,  and  as  it  was  the  first 
time  I  had  been  in  company  with  one,  I  spoke  to  him 
in  Latin  ;  but  he  blushed,  and  said  that  he  did  not 
speak  it.  I  was  very  sorry  I  had  undesignedly  put  him 
to  pain.  Had  a  great  deal  of  conversation  with  Anto- 
nio, afterwards,  on  England  and  on  religion.  He  had 
formed  such  an  idea  of  England,  that  he  had  resolved 
to  send  his  son  to  be  educated  there.  A  slave  in  my 
bed-room  washed  my  feet.  I  was  struck  with  the  de- 
gree of  abasement  expressed  in  the  act,  and  as  he  held 
the  foot  in  the  towel,  with  his  head  bowed  down  to- 
wards it,  I  remembered  the  condescension  of  the 
blessed  Lord.  May  I  have  grace  to  follow  such  hu- 
mility !" 


HENRY   MARTY N.  131 

Nov.  19. — "Early  after  breakfast  went  in  a  palan- 
quin to  Sennor  Dominigo's,  and  from  thence  with  him 
two  or  three  miles  into  the  country  :  at  intervals  I  got 
out  and  walked.  I  was  gratified  with  the  sight  of  what 
I  wanted  to  see;  namely,  some  part  of  the  country  in 
its  original  state,  covered  with  wood  ;  it  was  hilly,  but 
not  mountainous.  The  luxuriance  was  so  rank,  that  the 
whole  space,  even  to  the  tops  of  the  trees,  was  filled 
with  long  stringy  shrubs  and  weeds,  so  as  to  make 
them  impervious  and  opaque.  The  road  was  made 
by  cutting  away  the  earth  on  the  side  of  the  hill,  so 
that  there  were  woods  above  and  below  us.  The  ob- 
ject of  our  walk  was  to  see  a  pepper  plantation,  made 
in  a  valley,  on  a  perfect  level.  The  symmetry  of  the 
trees  was  what  charmed  my  Portuguese  friend  ;  but 
to  me,  who  was  seeking  the  wild  features  of  America, 
it  was  just  what  I  did  not  want.  The  person  who 
showed  us  the  grounds,  was  one  that  had  been  a  ma- 
jor in  the  Portuguese  army,  and  had  retired  on  a  pen- 
sion. The  border  consisted  of  pine-apples,  planted 
between  each  tree ;  the  interior  was  set  with  lemon- 
trees,  here  and  there,  between  the  pepper-plants.  We 
were  shown  the  root  of  the  mandioc,  called  by  us  ta- 
pioca; it  was  like  a  large  horse-radish.  The  mill  for 
grinding  it  was  extremely  simple  ;  a  horizontal  wheel, 
turned  by  horses,  put  in  motion  a  vertical  one,  on  the 
circumference  of  which  was  a  thin  brazen  plate,  fur- 
nished on  the  inside  like  a  nutmeg-grater :  a  slave  held 
the  root  to  the  wheel,  which  grated  it  away,  and  threw 
it  in  the  form  of  a  moist  paste  into  a  receptacle  below : 
it  is  then  dried  in  pans,  and  used  as  a  farina  with 
meat.    At  Sennor  Antonio's,  a  plate  of  tapioca  was 


132  MEMOIR   OP 

attached  to  each  of  our  plates.  Some  of  the  pepper 
was  nearly  ripe,  and  of  a  reddish  appearance  ;  when 
gathered,  which  it  is  in  April,  it  is  dried  in  the  sun. 
In  our  way  to  the  old  major's  house  we  came  to  a 
small  church  on  an  eminence,  on  a  plot  of  ground 
surrounded  by  a  wall,  which  was  for  the  purpose  of 
burying  the  dead  from  a  neighboring  hospital,  erected 
fur  those  afflicted  with  a  cutaneous  disorder  called  a 
morphee.  What  this  is  I  could  not  learn,  as  I  saw 
none  of  the  patients.  The  major  had  apartments  at 
the  hospital,  of  which  he  was  inspector.  In  the  church, 
all  three  knelt  and  crossed  themselves  as  usual.  I  said 
nothing ;  but  upon  this  a  conversation  began  among 
them,  chiefly  from  Sennor  Antonio's  mentioning  to 
them  my  objection.  The  major  spoke  with  a  vehe- 
mence which  would  have  become  a  better  cause.  An- 
tonio acted  as  interpreter.  By  constant  appeal  to  the 
Scriptures  on  every  subject,  I  gave  immediate  an- 
swers. The  old  man  concluded  the  conversation  by 
saying,  that  he  was  sure  I  read  the  Scriptures,  and 
therefore  would  embrace  me,  which  he  did  after  the 
manner  of  the  country.  Sennor  Antonio  told  me 
plainly,  at  last,  what  I  had  long  been  expecting  to 
hear,  that  the  prejudices  of  education  were  strong, 
and  operated  to  keep  his  father  bigoted;  but  that,  for 
himself,  he  had  nothing  to  do  with  saints;  in  secret 
he  adored  God  alone.  I  could  have  wished  more  ;  it 
was  the  confession  rather  of  a  liberal  than  a  religious 
mind.  Soon  after  there  was  a  procession  of  priests 
carrying  the  sacrament  to  the  house  of  a  person  just 
departing ;  they  both  knelt,  and  continued  till  it  had 
past.   Sennor  Antonio  said  that  he  l  conformed  to  the 


HENRY   MARTYN.  133 

Custom  of  the  country  in  trifles.'  I  thought  of  Naa- 
man  and  his  god  Rimmon.  I  did  not,  however,  think 
it  right  to  push  the  matter  too  suddenly  j  but  told  him, 
in  general,  how  the  English  Reformers  were  led  to 
prison  and  to  flames,  rather  than  conform  ;  and  that, 
if  I  had  been  born  a  Portuguese,  I  would  rather  be 
imprisoned  and  burnt,  than  conform  to  idolatry.  At 
the  same  time  I  talked  to  him  of  the  doctrines  of  the 
'new  birth,'  &c.  but  he  did  not  seem  to  pay  much 
attention.  Sennor  Dominigo  asked  me  if  the  soldiers 
had  a  minister  to  attend  them  in  their  dying  moments, 
to  instruct  and  to  administer  consolation.  For  the 
first  time  I  felt  that  I  had  the  worst  of  the  argument, 
and  hardly  knew  what  to  say  to  explain  such  neglect 
among  the  Protestants.  He  shrugged  up  his  shoul- 
ders with  horror  at  such  a  religion. 

"  We  were  then  shown  the  hospital  erected  by  the 
Prince  of  Portugal :  it  was  a  noble  building,  far  supe- 
rior to  that  at  Haslar.  In  the  garden  each  person,  al- 
ternately, gathered  a  sprig  or  fragrant  leaf  for  me. 
The  person  who  showed  it  to  us  was  a  chevalier  of 
some  order.  In  the  chapel  Sennor  Antonio  knelt;  but 
always  looked  on  me  smiling,  and  said,  "  C'est  le  con- 
tume  du  pays."  I  left  him  in  order  to  get  on  board  ; 
but  finding,  as  I  went  along,  a  chapel  open,  I  went  in 
to  see  the  pictures,  all  of  which  contained,  as  a  promi- 
nent figure,  a  friar  of  some  order.  In  one,  some  people 
in  flames  were  laying  hold  of  the  twisted  rope  which 
was  pendant  from  his  waist;  how  apt  the  image,  if 
Jesus  Christ  were  in  the  room  of  the  friar !  At  this 
time  a  friar,  dressed  identically  as  the  one  in  the  pic- 
ture, moved  slowly  along.  I  followed  him  through  the 
12 


134  MEMOIR   OF 

cloisters  and  addressed  him  in  Latin.  lie  was  a  little 
surprised,  but  replied.  He  told  me  that  the  chapel  be- 
longed to  a  monastery  of  Franciscan  friars.  In  a 
cloister  which  led  round  the  second  floor  of  the  build- 
ing he  stopped ;  and  by  this  time  we  were  able  to  un- 
derstand each  other  exceedingly  well.  I  then  asked 
him  to  prove  from  Scripture  the  doctrine  of  purgatory, 
of  image-worship,  the  supremacy  of  the  Pope,  and 
transubstantiation.  His  arguments  were  exceedingly 
weak,  and  the  Lord  furnished  me  with  an  answer  to 
them  all.  During  our  conversation,  two  or  three  more 
friars  assembled  round,  and  joined  in  the  dispute.  I 
confuted  all  their  errors,  as  plainly  as  possible,  from 
the  word  of  God ;  and  they  had  nothing  to  reply,  but 
did  not  seem  disconcerted.  A  whole  troop  of  others, 
passing  in  procession  in  the  opposite  cloister  below, 
beckoned  to  them  to  retire ;  which  they  did,  taking 
me  along  with  them  to  a  cell — two  before  and  one  on 
each  side.  As  we  passed  along  the  passage,  one  asked 
me  whether  I  was  a  Christian  ?  When  we  had  all 
reached  the  cell  and  sat  down,  I  asked  for  a  Bible, 
and  the  dispute  was  renewed.  I  found  that  they  consi- 
dered their  errors  as  not  tenable  on  Scripture  ground, 
and  appealed  to  the  authority  of  the  church.  I  told 
them  that  this  church  was,  by  their  confession,  acting 
against  the  law  of  God ;  and  was  therefore  not  the 
church  of  God :  I  also  referred  them  to  the  last  words 
in  the  Revelation.  They  seemed  most  surprised  at  my 
knowledge  of  Scripture.  When  they  were  silent,  and 
had  nothing  to  say,  I  was  afraid  the  business  would 
end  here  without  good  ;  and  so  I  said,  "  you  who  pro- 
fess to  teach  the  way  of  truth,  how  can  you  dare,  be- 


HENRY    MARTYN.  135 

fore  God,  to  let  the  people  go  on  in  idolatrous  prac- 
tices, which  you  know  to  be  contrary  to  the  word  of 
God?'  They  looked  very  grave.  The  one  who  spoke 
French,  and  also  the  best  Latin,  grew  very  angry  dur- 
ing their  dispute,  and  talked  of  the  Scripturarum  in- 
terpretes — pii  sapientissimique  viri  Augustinus,  Ber- 
nardus,*  &c.  'But,'  said  I, 'they  were  not  inspired.' 
4  Yes,'  he  said.  But  here  he  was  corrected  by  the  rest. 
As  this  man  seemed  in  earnest,  (the  rest  were  some- 
times grave  and  sometimes  laughing,)  I  asked  him 
why  he  had  assumed  the  cowl  of  a  friar ;  he  answered, 
'Ut  me  abstraherem  avanitate  rerum  mundanarum  et 
meipsum  sanctum  faciam  ad  gloriam  Dei.'t  He  spoke 
with  great  impression  and  earnestness,  and  seemed 
the  most  sincere  of  any.  They  were  acquainted  with 
logic,  and  argued  according  to  rule.  He  began  by  say- 
ing, '  Nullam  salutem  esse  extra  ecclesiam  Catholicam, 
axioma  est. '  'Concedo,'  I  said — '  sed  extra  Romanam 
salus  esse  potest.' — 'Minime,'  they  all  cried  out. — 
'  Quare,'  said  I, '  probat,'|  but  they  could  not.  At  last 
I  went  away,  as  the  sun  had  set,  and  they  all  attended 
me  through  the  long  dark  passages.  I  almost  trem- 
bled at  the  situation  and  company  I  was  in,  but  they 
were  exceedingly  polite,  and  begged  to  know  when  I 

'  Interpreters  of  Scripture— the  pious  and  most  learned 
men,  Augustine,  Bernard,  &c. 

t  That  I  might  withdraw  myself  from  the  vanity  of  earthly 
things,  and  devote  myself  to  the  glory  of  God. 

t  "  That  there  is  no  salvation  out  of  the  Catholic  Church,  is 
an  axiom."  "  Granted,"  I  replied  ;  "  hut  there  is  salvation  out 
of  the  Romish  church."  "  By  no  means,"  they  all  cried  out. 
"  Why,"  said  I,  "  prove  it." 


136  MEMOIR   OF 

was  coming  ashore  again,  that  they  might  expect  me. 
I  had  staid  so  long,  that,  after  waiting  for  hours  at  the 
different  quays,  no  boat  returned  ;  and  I  was  obliged 
to  return  to  Sennor  Antonio's,  from  whom  I  received 
an  affectionate  welcome.  His  wife  and  slaves,  who 
seemed  to  be  admitted  to  the  utmost  familiarity,  de- 
lighted to  stand  around  me  and  teach  me  the  Portu- 
guese names  of  things." 

Nov.  21. — "Went  on  shore  and  breakfasted  with 
Sennor  Antonio.  After  dinner,  while  he  slept,  I  had 
some  time  for  reading,  &c.  In  the  evening,  he  and 
his  wife  and  a  female  slave  played  at  cards.  I  sat  at 
the  table,  learning  Hindoostanee  roots." 

Nov.  23. — "  In  the  afternoon  took  leave  of  my  kind 
friends  Sennor  and  Sennora  Corre.  They  and  the  rest 
came  out  to  the  garden  gate,  and  continued  looking 
till  the  winding  of  the  road  hid  me  from  their  sight. 
The  poor  slave  Raymond,  who  had  attended  me  and 
carried  my  things,  burst  into  a  flood  of  tears  as  we 
left  the  door;  and  when  I  parted  from  him  he  was  go- 
ing to  kiss  my  feet ;  but  I  shook  hands  with  him,  much 
affected  by  such  extraordinary  kindness  in  people  to 
whom  I  had  been  a  total  stranger  till  within  a  few  days. 
What  shall  I  render  unto  the  Lord  for  all  his  mercies ! 
In  my  way  to  the  quay  I  met  a  young  friar  of  the 
order  of  St.  Augustine.  He  understood  me  enough  to 
conduct  me  part  of  the  way  to  the  convent  of  the  Fran- 
ciscans, till  he  met  with  a  young  priest,  to  whom  he 
consigned  me.  With  him  I  had  a  dispute  in  Latin. 
When  I  said  that  in  no  part  of  Scripture  was  it  com- 
manded to  worship  the  Virgin,  he  colored,  and  said  in 
a  low  tone,  '  Verum  est.'*    At  the  monastery  I  met 

*  It  is  true 


HENRY   MARTYN.  137 

with  my  old  friends  the  same  four  friars.  After  re- 
galing me  with  sweetmeats,  they  renewed  the  dispute. 
We  parted  with  mutual  lamentations  over  one  an- 
other; I  telling  them  they  were  in  an  awful  error;  they 
smiling  at  my  obstinacy,  and  mourning  over  my  lost 
condition.  I  went  away  in  no  small  dejection,  that  the 
Gospel  should  have  so  little  effect,  or  rather  none  at  all. 
This  was  by  no  means  diminished  when  I  came  to  the 
boat.  It  was  the  commemoration  of  the  Hegira,*  and 
our  Mohammedan  rowers,  dressed  in  white,  were  sing- 
ing hymns,  all  the  way,  to  the  honor  of  Mohammed. 

Here  was  another  abomination.    B sat  beside  me, 

and  we  had  a  long  conversation,  and  for  some  time 
went  on  very  well.  I  cleared  away  error,  as  I  thought, 
very  fast ;  and  when  the  time  was  come,  I  stated,  in  a 
few  words,  the  Gospel.  The  reply  was,  that  '  I  was 
not  speaking  to  the  purpose ;  that,  for  his  part,  he  could 
not  see  what  more  could  be  necessary  than  simply  to 
tell  mankind  that  they  must  be  sober  and  honest.'  I 
turned  away  with  a  deep  sigh,  cried  to  God  to  inter 
fere  in  behalf  of  his  Gospel,  for  in  the  course  of  one 
hour  I  had  seen  three  shocking  examples  of  the  reign 
and  power  of  the  devil,  in  the  form  of  Popish  and  Mo- 
hammedan delusion,  and  that  of  the  natural  man.  I 
never  felt  so  strongly  what  a  nothing  I  am.  All  my 
clear  arguments  are  good  for  nothing ;  unless  the 
Lord  stretch  out  his  hand,  I  speak  to  stones.  I  felt, 
however,  no  way  discouraged  ;  but  only  saw  the  ne- 
cessity of  dependence  on  God. 
After  a  little  more  than  a  fortnight  the  fleet  sailed  ; 

*  The  flight  of  Mohammed  from  Mecca,  A.  D.  616. 
12* 


138  MEMOIR  OF 

whilst  many  a  grateful  recollection  filled  the  breast, 
and  many  a  fervent  prayer  ascended  from  the  heart 
of  Mr.  Martyn,  in  behalf  of  Sennor  and  Sennora 
Corre :  from  them  he  had  received  signal  kindness  and 
hospitality;  and  it  might  not  perhaps  be  too  much  to 
observe,  that  "not  forgetful  to  entertain  strangers,  they 
had  entertained  an  angel  unawares."  "I  have  been 
with  my  friend  Antonio,"  said  he,  "  as  a  way-faring 
man  that  tarrieth  but  for  a  night;  yet  hath  the  Lord 
put  it  into  his  heart  to  send  me  on  after  a  goodly  sort. 
And  now  we  prosecute  our  voyage  :  a  few  more  pas- 
sages, and  I  shall  find  myself  in  the  scene  of  my  mi- 
nistry: a  few  more  changes  and  journeys,  and  I  am 
in  eternity." 

As  the  time  approached  for  the  soldiers  to  take  the 
field,  Mr.  Martyn's  anxiety  for  their  eternal  welfare 
increased  ;  and  as  a  proof  of  it,  he  set  apart  a  day  for 
fasting,  humiliation,  and  intercession  for  them,  as  well 
as  for  all  who  were  in  the  ship.  But  he  did  not  inter- 
cede for  them,  he  observed,  as  being  himself  righte- 
ous, but  chose  rather  to  humble  himself  with  them  as 
a  sinner,  earnestly  crying  to  God  in  contrition  and 
abasement  of  soul.  At  this  solemn  juncture  he  began 
to  read  and  expound  to  his  auditors  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures exclusively ;  and  after  some  consideration  res- 
pecting the  propriety  of  such  a  step,  he  determined 
not  to  suffer  them  to  part  without  prayer  to  the  Lord, 
as  well  as  singing  his  praises.  Such  a  procedure,  he 
was  well  aware,  would  put  the  faith  of  his  hearers, 
as  well  as  his  own,  in  some  measure  to  a  strong  and 
severe  test.  Above,  obloquy  and  contempt  might  be  ex- 
pected ;  below,  noise,  and  clamor,  and  scoffs.    He  ne- 


HENRY   MARTYN.  139 

vertheless  persisted  in  his  purpose,  resolving,  as  the 
line  of  duty  seemed  to  be  clear,  to  pursue  it  steadily, 
and  calmly  to  commit  all  consequences  to  God.  "  To 
kneel  in  prayer,"  he  remarked  in  a  letter  to  a  friend, 
"  before  a  considerable  number  of  lookers-on,  some 
working-,  others  scoffing,  was  a  painful  cross  to  my 
poor  people  at  first.  But  they  received  strength  ac- 
cording to  their  day :  and  now  the  song  of  us  all  is, 
1  Thou  hast  prepared  a  table  before  me  in  the  presence 
of  my  enemies.'" 

The  unhealthy  state  of  the  ship's  company  from  dy- 
sentery, at  this  period  of  the  voyage,  was  another  call 
on  Mr.  Martyn's  pastoral  assiduity ;  a  call  to  which  he 
evinced  no  backwardness  to  attend.  Often  was  he  to 
be  found  by  the  beds  of  the  sick,  administering  to  them 
every  temporal  and  spiritual  comfort;  till  at  length  he 
was  himself  seized  by  that  contagious  disorder.  His 
illness  was  not  of  long  duration,  but' was  such  as  to 
make  him  think  seriously  of  death,  and  employ  him- 
self in  the  most  solemn  self-examination.  On  which 
occasion  he  had  so  much  delight  and  joy  in  the  con- 
sideration of  heaven,  and  of  his  assured  title  to  it,  that 
he  was  more  desirous  of  dying  than  living :  not  that 
it  was  any  one  thing  that  he  had  done  (he  remarks) 
that  gave  him  substantial  reason  for  thinking  himself 
in  Christ ;  it  was  the  bent  of  his  affections  and  inclina- 
tions towards  God,  and  the  taste  he  had  for  holy  plea- 
sures and  holy  employments,  which  convinced  him 
that  he  was  born  of  God. 

No  sooner  had  he  recovered  from  this  attack  than  he 
was  again  at  his  post,  kneeling  beside  the  hammocks 
of  the  dying.    And  amongst  those  who  then  required, 


140  MEMOIR    OF 

and  received  his  faithful  offices,  was  the  captain  of  the 
ship,  whose  illness,  though  of  a  different  kind  from  the 
prevailing  one,  was  highly  dangerous,  and  quickly  ter- 
minated in  his  dissolution. 

And  now  as  the  year  was  drawing  to  a  close,  and 
the  last  Sabbath  of  <t  was  come,  Mr.  Marty n  addressed 
his  hearers  from  2  Pet.  3:11;"  Seeing  then  that  all 
these  things  shall  be  dissolved,  what  manner  of  per- 
sons ought  ye  to  be  in  all  holy  conversation  and  god- 
liness?" in  reference  to  their  having  left  England,  to 
their  having  passed  through  so  many  perils,  to  their 
being,  many  of  them,  about  to  meet  an  enemy  in  the 
field,  and  to  the  death  of  the  captain.  His  own  mind, 
which  could  not  but  be  in  an  exceedingly  serious  frame, 
was  also  in  a  state  of  the  purest  joy  and  most  perfect 
peace.  "  Separated,"  said  he,  "  from  my  friends  and 
country  for  ever,  there  is  nothing  to  distract  me  from 
hearing  '  the  voice  of  my  beloved,'  and  coming  away 
from  this  world,  and  walking  with  him  in  love,  amidst 
the  flowers  that  perfume  the  air  of  paradise,  and  the 
harmony  of  the  happy,  happy  saints  who  are  singing 
his  praise.  Thus  hath  the  Lord  brought  me  to  the 
conclusion  of  the  year ;  and  though  I  have  broken  his 
statutes,  and  not  kept  his  commandments,  yet  he  hath 
not  utterly  taken  away  his  loving  kindness,  nor  suf- 
fered his  truth  to  fail.  I  thought,  at  the  beginning  of 
the  year,  that  I  should  have  been  in  India  at  this  time, 
if  I  escaped  ail  the  dangers  of  the  climate.  These  dan- 
gers are  yet  to  come  ;  but  I  can  leave  all  cheerfully  to 
God.  If  I  am  weary  of  any  thing,  it  is  of  my  life  of 
sinfulness.  I  want  a  life  of  more  devotion  and  holi- 
ness; and  yet  am  so  vain  as  to  be  expecting  the  end 


HENRY    MAETYN.  141 

without  the  means.  I  am  so  far  from  regretting  that  I 
ever  came  on  this  delightful  work,  that,  were  I  to 
choose  for  myself,  I  could  scarcely  find  a  situation 
more  agreeable  to  my  taste.  On,  therefore,  let  me  go, 
and  persevere  steadily  in  this  blessed  undertaking; 
through  the  grace  of  God,  dying  daily  to  the  opinions 
of  men,  and  aiming,  with  a  more  single  eye,  at  the 
glory  of  the  everlasting  God.-' 

On  the  second  of  January,  1806,  whilst  Mr.  Martyn 
was  in  the  act  of  commending  his  iloek  to  God  in 
prayer,  the  high  lands  of  the  Cape  became  visible,  at 
eighty  miles  distance ;  and  doubtless  they  were  not 
seen  without  exciting  the  strongest  emotions  in  many 
hearts;  numbers  were  soon  there  to  assemble,  who 
should  meet  no  more  till  all  nations  were  gathered  be- 
fore the  tribunal  of  Christ. 

On  the  third  the  fleet  anchored,  and  the  signal  was 
instantly  given  for  the  soldiers  to  prepare  to  land.  But 
how  then  was  Mr.  Martyn's  holy  and  affectionate  soul 
grieved,  to  witness  the  dreadful  levity  concerning  death 
which  almost  universally  prevailed !  ':  It  was,"  said 
he,  "  a  melancholy  scene.    I  could  speak  to  none  of 

my  people  but  to  Corporal  B ,  and ;  I  said  also 

to  Sergeant  G ,  '  It  is  now  high  time  to  be  de- 
cided in  religion.'  He  replied  with  a  sigh.  Poor  Cor- 
poral B and  the  others  gave  me  a  last  affecting 

look  after  they  were  in  the  boats.  I  retired  to  pray, 
and  found  delightful  access  to  God,  and  freedom  in 
prayer  for  the  poor  soldiers."  The  lndiamen  being 
then  ordered  to  get  under  weigh,  and  the  men  of  war 
drawn  up  close  to  the  shore    a  landing  was  effected, 


142  MEMOIR    OF 

and  soon  after  seven  the  next  day,  as  Mr.  Martyn  de- 
scribes it,  "  a  most  tremendous  fire  of  artillery  began 
behind  a  mountain  abreast  of  the  ships.  It  seemed  as 
if  the  mountain  itself  was  torn  by  intestine  convul- 
sions. The  smoke  arose  from  a  lesser  eminence  on 
the  right  of  the  hill ;  and,  on  the  top  of  it,  troops  were 
seen  marching  down  the  further  declivity.  Then  came 
such  a  long-drawn  fire  of  musketry  that  I  could  not 
conceive  any  thing  like  it.  We  all  shuddered  at  con- 
sidering what  a  multitude  of  souls  must  be  passing  into 
eternity.  The  poor  ladies  were  in  a  dreadful  condition; 
every  peal  seemed  to  go  through  their  hearts.  I  have 
just  been  endeavoring  to  do  what  I  can  to  keep  up 
their  spirits.  The  sound  is  now  retiring  ;  and  the  ene- 
my are  seen  retreating  along  the  low  ground  on  the 
right  side  towards  the  town." 

With  the  hope  of  being  useful  to  the  wounded  and 
dying  in  the  field  of  battle,  Mr.  Martyn,  after  this  pe- 
riod of  torturing  suspense,  went  on  shore ;  and  in  the 
following  letter  to  Mr.  Simeon,  he  states  what  he  en- 
dured whilst  engaged  in  that  disinterested  errand  of 
love  and  mercy. 

"  Union,  Table  Bay,  Jan.  7,  1806. 
"I  embraced  the  opportunity  of  getting  to  the 
wounded  men,  soon  after  my  landing.  A  party  of  the 
company's  troops  were  ordered  to  repair  to  the  field 
of  battle,  to  bring  away  the  wounded,  under  the  com- 
mand of.  Major ,  whom  I  knew.  By  his  permis- 
sion I  attached  myself  to  them,  and  marched  six  miles 
over  a  soft  burning  sand,  till  we  reached  the  fatal  spot 
We  found  several  but  slightly  hurt;  and  these  we  left 


HENRY  MARTYN.  143 

for  a  while,  after  seeing  their  wounds  dressed  by  a 
surgeon.  A  little  onward  were  three  mortally  wound- 
ed* One  of  them,  on  being  asked,  'where  he  was 
struck,'  opened  his  shirt  and  showed  a  wound  in  his 
left  breast.  The  blood  which  he  was  spitting  showed 
that  he  had  been  shot  through  the  lungs.  As  I  spread 
my  great  coat  over  him,  by  the  surgeon's  desire,  who 
passed  on  without  attempting  to  save  him,  I  spoke  of 
the  blessed  Gospel,  and  besought  him  to  look  to  Jesus 
Christ  for  salvation.  He  was  surprised,  but  could  not 
speak  j  and  I  was  obliged  to  leave  him,  in  order  to 
reach  the  troops,  from  whom  the  officers,  out  of  re- 
gard to  my  safety,  would  not  allow  me  to  be  separated. 
Among  several  others,  some  wounded  and  some  dead, 

was  Captain ,  who  was  shot  by  a  rifleman.     We 

all  stopped  for  a  while,  to  gaze,  in  pensive  silence,  on 
his  pale  body;  and  then  passed  on  to  witness  more 
proofs  of  the  sin  and  misery  of  fallen  man.  Descend- 
ing into  the  plain,  where  the  main  body  of  each  army 
had  met,  I  saw  some  of  the  59th,  one  of  whom,  a  cor- 
poral, who  sometimes  had  sung  with  us,  told  me  that 
none  of  the  59th  were  killed,  and  none  of  the  officers 
wounded.  Some  farm-houses,  which  had  been  in  the 
rear  of  the  enemy's  army,  had  been  converted  into  an 
hospital  for  the  wounded,  whom  they  were  bringing 
from  all  quarters.  The  surgeon  told  me  that  there 
were  already  in  the  houses  two  hundred,  some  of  whom 
were  Dutch.  A  more  ghastly  spectacle  than  that  which 
presented  itself  here  I  could  not  have  conceived.  They 
were  ranged,  without  and  within  the  house,  in  rows, 
covered  with  gore.  Indeed,  it  was  the  blood  which 
they  had  not  had  time  to  wash  off  that  made  their  ap 


I '1-4  MEMOIR   OF 

pearance  more  dreadful  than  the  reality  ;  for  few  of 
their  wounds  were  mortal.  The  confusion  was  very 
great ;  and  sentries  and  officers  were  so  strict  in  their 
duty,  that  I  had  no  fit  opportunity  of  speaking  to  any 
of  them,  except  a  Dutch  captain,  with  whom  I  con- 
versed in  French.  After  this  I  walked  out  again  with 
the  surgeon  to  the  field,  and  saw  several  of  the  ene- 
my's wounded.  A  Hottentot,  who  had  had  his  thigh 
broken  by  a  ball,  was  lying  in  extreme  agony,  biting 
the  dust  and  uttering  horrid  imprecations  upon  the 
Dutch.  I  told  him  that  he  ought  to  pray  for  his  ene 
mies  ;  and  after  telling  the  poor  wretched  man  of  the 
Gospel,  I  begged  him  to  pray  to  Jesus  Christ.  But 
our  conversation  was  soon  interrupted  ;  for,  in  the  ab- 
sence of  the  surgeon,  who  was  gone  back  for  his  in- 
struments, a  Highland  soldier  came  by,  and  challenged 
me  with  the  words,  '  Who  are  you  V  'An  Englishman/ 
'  No,'  said  he,  '  you  are  French,'  and  began  to  present 
his  piece.  As  I  saw  that  he  was  rather  intoxicated, 
and  did  not  know  but  that  he  might  actually  fire  out 
of  mere  wantonness,  I  sprang  up  towards  him,  and 
told  him,  that  if  he  doubted  my  word,  he  might  take 
me  as  his  prisoner  to  the  English  camp— but  that  I 
certainly  was  an  English  clergyman.  This  pacified 
him,  and  he  behaved  with  great  respect.  The  surgeon 
on  examining  the  wound,  said  the  man  must  die,  and 
so  left  him.  At  length  I  found  an  opportunity  of  re- 
turning, as  I  much  wished,  in  order  to  recover  from 
distraction  of  mind,  and  to  give  free  scope  to  reflection. 
I  lay  down  on  the  border  of  a  clump  of  shrubs  or 
bushes,  with  the  field  of  battle  in  view,  and  there  lifted 
up  my  soul  to  God.    Mournful  as  the  scene  was,  I  yet 


HENRY    MARTYN.  145 

thanked  God  that  lie  had  brought  me  to  see  a  speci- 
men, though  a  terrible  one,  of  what  men  by  nature 
are.  May  the  remembrance  of  this  day  ever  excite  me 
to  pray  and  labor  more  for  the  propagation  of  the  Gos- 
pel of  peace.  Then  shall  men  love  one  another:  na- 
tion shall  not  lift  up  sword  against  nation,  neither  shall 
they  learn  war  any  more.  The  Blue  Mountains  to  the 
eastward,  which  formed  the  boundary  of  the  prospects, 
were  a  cheering  contrast  to  what  was  immediately 
before  me  ;  for  there  I  conceived  my  beloved  and 
honored  fellow-servants,  companions  in  the  kingdom 
and  patience  of  Jesus  Christ,*  to  be  passing  the  days 
of  their  pilgrimage,  far  from  the  world,  imparting  the 
truths  of  the  precious  Gospel  to  benighted  souls.  May 
I  receive  grace  to  be  a  follower  of  their  faith  and  pa- 
tience ;  and  do  you  pray,  my  brother,  as  I  know  that 
you  do,  that  I  may  have  a  heart  more  warm,  and  a 
zeal  more  ardent  in  this  glorious  cause.  I  marched 
back  the  same  evening  with  the  troops.  The  surf  on 
the  shore  was  very  high,  but,  through  mercy,  we  es- 
caped that  danger.  But  when  we  came  to  our  ship's 
station,  we  found  that  she  was  gone ;  having  got  under 
weigh  some  hours  before.  The  sea  ran  high.  Our 
men  were  almost  spent,  and  I  was  very  faint  with 
hunger;  but  after  a  long  struggle  we  reached  the  In- 
diaman  about  midnight." 

For  the  detail  of  the  events  which  succeeded  this 


"Missionaries  of  the  United  Brethren  at  Grcenekloof  and 
Gnadenthal,  and  those  belonging  to  the  London  Missionary 
Society  at  ftethelsdorp. 

13 


146  memoir  or 

during  his  continuance  at  the  Cape,  we  refer  to  the 
journal. 

January  9th. — "  Came  on  board  early  this  morning, 
I  was  so  sleepy  and  languid  I  could  do  little  or  no- 
thing ;  and  at  night  was  so  oppressed  with  a  sense  of 
my  unprofitableness — selfishness — neglect  of  duty — 
that  I  felt  shut  out  from  God.  I  spread  the  matter  be- 
fore God,  who  knew  the  state  of  my  case  ;  still  I  was 
wretched  from  the  bondage  of  corruption,  which 
seemed  to  chain  me  down  to  earth.  Lying  down 
in  my  bed,  my  wretchedness  was  brought  to  my  mind, 
and  would  have  overwhelmed  me,  were  it  not  for  the 
blood  of  Jesus  Christ.  There  was  very  little  firing  to- 
day.   In  the  afternoon  a  flag  of  truce  was  observed." 

January  10. — "  I  have  been,  through  the  mercy  of 
God,  in  a  more  happy  frame  than  for  this  week  past. 
Meditation  on  Psalm  103  :  1—5,  was  much  blest  to 
me.  O  what  happiness  and  benefit  to  my  soul  have  I 
lost  by  neglecting  to  praise  God.  About  five  the  com- 
modore fired  a  gun,  which  was  instantly  answered  by 
all  the  men-of-war.  On  looking  out  for  the  cause,  we 
saw  the  British  flag  flying  on  the  Dutch  Fort.  Pleas- 
ing as  the  cessation  of  warfare  was,  I  felt  considerable 
pain  at  the  enemy's  being  obliged  to  give  up  their  fort 
and  town,  and  every  thing  else,  as  a  conquered  peo- 
ple, to  the  will  of  their  victor.  I  hate  the  cruel  pride 
and  arrogance  that  makes  men  boast  over  a  conquered 
foe.  And  every  observation  of  this  sort  which  I  hear 
cuts  me  to  the  very  heart ;  whether  from  nature  or 
from  grace  I  do  not  know ;  but  I  had  rather  be  tram- 
pled upon  than  be  the  trampler.  I  could  find  it  more 
agreeable  to  my  own  feelings  to  go  and  weep  with  the 


HENRY    MARTYN.  147 

relatives  of  the  men  whom  the  English  have  killed, 
than  to  rejoice  at  the  laurels  they  have  won.  I  had  a 
happy  season  in  prayer.  No  outward  scene  seemed  to 
have  power  to  distract  my  thoughts.  I  prayed  that  the 
capture  of  the  Cape  might  be  ordered  to  the  advance- 
ment of  Christ's  kingdom ;  and  that  England,  whilst 
she  sent  the  thunder  of  her  arms  to  the  distant 
regions  of  the  globe,  might  not  be  proud  and  ungodly 
at  home ;  but  might  show  herself  great  indeed,  by 
sending  forth  the  ministers  of  Christ  to  diffuse  the 
Gospel  of  peace." 

January  12.— Sunday.  "  Very  unlike  a  Sabbath-day  ; 
the  whole  morning,  till  dinner-time,  was  taken  up  in 
working  the  ship  from  her  place  to  a  station  nearer 
the  shore.  There  were  so  few  hands  on  board,  that  I 
was  obliged  to  take  my  place  at  the  capstan.  The 
wind  now  blows  a  hurricane  over  Table  Mountain.  I 
feel  myself  a  guilty  creature.  Hide  not  thy  face  from 
me,  O  God." 

January  13. — "  Went  on  shore  to  Cape  Town  and 
took  lodgings.  Walked  about  the  Company's  gardens, 
and  General  Jansen's,  whose  family  1  saw.  I  felt  much 
for  the  unfortunate  females.  Afterwards  saw  the  me- 
nagerie. A  lion  and  lioness,  amongst  the  beasts,  and 
the  ostrich,  led  my  thoughts  very  strongly  to  admire 
and  glorify  the  power  of  the  great  Creator.  '  Wilt  thou 
hunt  the  prey  for  the  lion  V  I  felt  my  insignificance  ; 
but  for  a  ransomed  child,  the  strong  hand  of  God  can 
control  all  created  power;  sweet  and  happy  is  it  to 
have  '  the  everlasting  arms  underneath  us.'  From  the 
first  moment  I  arrived,  I  had  been  anxiously  inquiring 
about  Dr.  Vanderkemp.  I  heard  at  last,  to  my  no  small 


148  MEMOIR    OF 

delight,  that  lie  was  now  in  Cape  Town.  But  it  was 
long  before  I  could  find  him.  At  length  I  did.  He  was 
standing  outside  of  the  house,  silently  looking  up  at 
the  stars.  A  great  number  of  black  people  were  sitting 
around.  On  my  introducing  myself,  he  led  me  in, 
and  called  for  Mr.  Read.  I  was  beyond  measure  de- 
lighted at  the  happiness  of  seeing  him  too.  The  cir- 
cumstance of  meeting  with  these  beloved  and  highly 
honored  brethren,  so  tilled  me  with  joy  and  gratitude 
for  the  goodness  of  God's  providence,  that  I  hardly 
knew  what  to  do." 

January  14. — "Continued  walking  with  Mr.  Read 
till  late.  He  gave  me  a  variety  of  curious  information 
respecting  the  mission.  He  told  me  of  his  marvellous 
success  amongst  the  heathen  ;  how  he  had  heard  them 
amongst  the  bushes  pouring  out  their  hearts  to  God. 
At  all  this  my  '  soul  did  magnify  the  Lord,  and  my 
spirit  rejoiced  in  God  my  Savior.'  Now  that  I  am  io 
a  land  where  the  Spirit  of  God  appears,  as  in  the  an- 
cient days,  as  in  the  generation  of  old,  let  a  double 
portion  of  that  Spirit  rest  upon  this  unworthy  head, 
that  I  may  go  forth  to  my  work  '  rejoicing  like  a  strong 
man  to  run  my  race.'  " 

January  15. — "  Rose  early,  and  obtained  a  serene 
md  tender  spirit  from  God." 

January  16. — "Walked  with  brother  Read,  and  was 
so  charmed  with  his  spiritual  behavior  that  I  fancied 
myself  in  company  with  David  Brainerd.  Sat  at  night 
in  the  open  air,  with  Table  Mountain  before  me,  and 
endeavored  to  meditate  on  Isaiah,  11 :  2." 

January  17. — "  Had  some  fervor  in  prayer  for  that 
blessed  charity,  described  1  Cor.  13.     Walked  with 


HENRY    MAItTYN.  149 

Read,  and  continued  to  increase  in  love  to  him ;  we 
met  in  our  walk  Vanderlinger,  who  had  been  on  a 
mission  to  the  Briquas." 

January  18. — "Having  spoken  in  an  unchristian 
spirit  to  a  dear  friend  this  morning,  I  retired  in  great 
grief  to  consider  again  1  Cor.  13,  and  Eph.  4:5.  1 
found  my  soul  melted  in  prayer.  Oh  !  when  shall  I 
learn  humility  !  Cecil  dined  and  walked  with  me;  not 
finding  the  missionaries  at  home,  I  returned  and  read 
Prideaux  :  after  a  short  prayer  I  found  my  soul  blest 
with  a  most  serene  and  tranquil  sweetness  j  my 
thoughts  seemed  far  from  earth,  and  fixed  on  heavenly 
things." 

January  19. — Sunday.  "  The  S.  E.  blew  a  hurri- 
cane all  day ;  so  I  could  not  get  to  the  Pitt,  Botany 
Bay  ship,  as  I  had  promised.  I  attended  worship,  with 
most  of  the  cadets  and  passengers,  in  one  of  the  par- 
lors of  the  house,  and  expounded  part  of  4  and  5  of 
Ephesians.  Visited  the  hospital  with  brother  Read, 
and  then  went  to  a  church  lately  built  for  the  instruc- 
tion of  slaves.  There  were  about  one  hundred  sent 
from  fifty  different  families.  A  black,  who  was  em- 
ployed in  lighting  the  candles,  was  pointed  out  to  me 
as  one  who  was  to  go  as  a  missionary  to  Madagascar." 

January  20.— "Walking  home,  I  asked  Dr.  Vander- 
kemp  if  he  had  ever  repented  of  his  undertaking.  No, 
said  the  old  man,  smiling ;  and  I  would  not  exchange 
my  work  for  a  kingdom.  Read  told  rne  of  some  of  his 
trials  ;  he  has  often  been  so  reduced  for  want  of  clothes, 
as  scarcely  to  have  any  to  cover  him.  The  reasonings 
of  his  mind  were:  I  am  here,  Lord,  in  thy  service  ; 
why  am  I  left  in  this  state?  It  seemed  to  be  suggested 
13* 


150  MEMOIR   OF 

to  him— If  thou  wilt  be  my  servant,  be  contented  to 
fare  in  this  way  ;  if  not,  go  and  fare  better.  His  mind 
was  thus  satisfied  to  remain  God's  missionary,  with  all 
its  concomitant  hardships.  At  night  my  sinful  soul 
enjoyed  a  most  reviving  season  in  prayer  ;  I  rejoiced 
greatly  in  the  Lord,  and  pleaded  with  fervor  for  the 
interests  of  his  church." 

January  21. — *'  [  sent  to  the  governor  to  offer  my 
services  on  Sunday  next  at  the  church  :  he  sent  an 
immediate  answer  that  he  could  not  avail  himself  of 
my  offer,  but  assigned  no  reason.  I  was  a  little  hurt, 
but  my  soul  enjoyed  sweet  repose  in  God." 

January  22. — "Went  with  Read  to  visit  the  hospital 
where  the  wounded  English  were." 

January  23. — "  Went  on  board,  the  S.  E.  blowing 
most  violently;  I  did  not  think  the  boat  could  live 
it  out;  but,  through  the  mercy  of  God,  we  shipped  but 
one  sea,  and  reached  the  ship  in  safety.  Oh  !  may  I 
love  and  serve  him  with  all  my  soul,  till  I  reach  the 
blissful  shore  where  storms  and  dangers  shall  be  known 
no  more." 

January  24. — "  I  came  ashore  and  walked  with  Lieu- 
tenant F ,  and  was  much  pleased  with  the  senti- 
ments he  expressed ;  and  with  much  affectionate  regard 
for  his  welfare,  I  suggested  to  him  some  advice.  At 
night  the  Lord  helped  me  to  plead  long  and  earnestly 
for  the  ingathering  of  the  heathen." 

January  25. — "  Employed  in  meditations  on  a  ser- 
mon for  to-morrow ;  sat  with  Dr.  Vanderkemp,  con- 
versing on  metaphysics  and  divinity.  Blessed  with 
especial  awfulness  in  prayer  at  night." 

January  26.— Sunday.    "  Had  service  in  the  house ; 


HENRY   MARTYN.  J  51 

expounded  on  2  Cor.  5,  with  such  dullness  that  I  felt 
the  greatest  shame  before  God.  Walked  near  the  sea, 
and  talked  to  some  French  prisoners  ;  went  with  Read 
to  the  hospital,  and  left  some  Testaments.  Dear  Dr. 
Vanderkemp  gave  me  a  Syriac  Testament  as  a  remem- 
brance of  him/' 

January  27. — "  Preached  at  the  hospital.  Many 
were  in  tears." 

January  28. — "I  went  this  morning,  in  a  wagon 
drawn  by  eight  horses,  to  Constantia,  with  a  party  of 
fellow-passengers  and  three  officers  of  the  66th  ;  but  it 
was  no  party  of  pleasure  to  me.  I  was  disgusted  at 
the  conversation,  which  was  trifling  to  the  last  degree. 
The  farmer  was  very  civil,  and  gave  me  some  of  the 
celebrated  wine.  The  road  was  over  a  plain  covered 
with  beautiful  shrubs;  there  being  no  house  there  that 
was  public,  we  went  to  one  two  miles  off:  here  I  walk- 
ed on  the  heath  alone,  seeking  after  God.  "Walked 
with  brother  Read  in  the  gardens,  and  continued  to 
have  much  conversation  on  the  mission,  on  our  con- 
version, and  on  the  work  of  grace  in  the  heart.  How 
profitable  and  heart-enlivening  is  conversation  on  ex- 
perimental religion,  when  carried  on  without  pride  or 
display  of  great  experience!  Preached  at  the  hos- 
pital.   In  my  walk  home  by  the  sea-side,  I  sighed  on 

thinking  of  L ,  with  whom  I  had  stood  on  the  shore 

before  coming  away,  and  of  the  long  seas  that  were 
rolling  between  us;  but  felt  cheerful  and  strong  in 
spirit  to  fulfill  the  word  of  God." 

January  30.—"  Rose  at  five,  and  began  to  ascend 

Table  Mountain  at  six,  with  S and  M .  I  went 

on  chiefly  alone.    I  thought  of  the  Christian  life— 


152  MEMOIR   OF 

what  uphill  work  it  is— and  yet  there  are  streams 
flowing  down  from  the  top.  just  as  there  was  water 
coming  down  by  the  Kloof,  by  which  we  ascended. 
Towards  the  top  it  was  very  steep,  but  the  hope  of 
being  soon  at  the  summit  encouraged  me  to  ascend 
very  lightly.    As  the  Kloof  opened,  a  beautiful  flame- 
colored  flower  appeared  in  a  little  green  hollow,  wav- 
ing in  the  breeze.    It  seemed  to  be  an  emblem  of  the 
beauty  and  peacefulness  of  heaven,  as  it  shall  open 
upon  the  weary  soul  when  its  journey  is  finished,  and 
the  struggles  of  the  death-bed  are  over.    We  walked 
up  and  down  the  whole  length,  which  might  be  be- 
tween two  and  three  miles,  and  one  might  be  said  to 
look  round  the  world  from  this  promontory.    I  felt  a 
solemn  awe  at  the  grand  prospect,  from  which  there 
was  neither  noise  nor  small  objects  to  draw  off  my  at- 
tention.    I  reflected,  especially  when  looking  at  the 
immense  expanse  of  sea  on  the  east,  which  was  to 
carry  me  to  India,  on  the  certainty  that  the  name  of 
Christ  should  at  some  period  resound  from  shore  to 
shore.    I  felt  commanded  to  wait  in  silence,  and  see 
how  God  would  bring  his  promises  to  pass.    We  be- 
gan to  descend  at  half  past  two.  Whilst  sitting  to  rest 
myself  towards  night,  I  began  to  reflect  with  death- 
like despondency  on  my  friendless  condition.  Not  that 
I  wanted  any  of  the  comforts  of  life,  but  I  wanted 
those  kind  friends  who  loved  me,  and  in  whose  com 
pany  I  used  to  find  such  delight  after  my  fatigues. 
And  then,  remembering  that  I  should  never  see  them 
more,  I  felt  one  of  those  keen  pangs  of  misery  that 
occasionally  shoot  across  my  breast.    It  seemed  like  a 
dream,  that  I  had  actually  undergone  banishment  from 


HEXRY    MARTYN.  153 

them  for  life;  or  rather  like  a  dream,  that  I  had  ever 
hoped  to  share  the  enjoyments  of  social  life.  Bnt  at 
this  time  I  solemnly  renewed  my  self-dedication  to 
God,  praying  that  I  might  receive  grace  to  spend  my 
days  for  his  service,  in  continued  suffering  and  sepa- 
ration from  all  I  held  most  dear  in  this  life.  Amen. 
How  vain  and  transitory  are  those  pleasures  which 
the  worldliness  of  my  heart  will  ever  be  magnifying 
into  real  good  ! — The  rest  of  the  evening  I  felt  wean- 
ed from  the  world  and  all  its  concerns,  with  some- 
what of  a  melancholy  tranquillity/' 

Jan.  31. — "  From  great  fatigue  of  body,  was  in  doubt 
about  going  to  the  hospital,  and  very  unwilling  to  go ; 
however,  I  went,  and  preached  with  more  freedom 
than  ever  I  had  done  there.  Having  some  conversa- 
tion with  Colonel  II ,  I  asked  him  '  whether,  if  the 

wound  he  had  received  in  the  late  engagement  had 
been  mortal,  his  profaneness  would  have  recurred  with 
any  pleasure  to  his  mind  on  a  death-bed?'  He  made 
some  attempts  at  palliation,  though  in  great  confu- 
sion ;  but  bore  the  admonition  very  patiently." 

February  1. — "As  yesterday  everting,  so  to-day — I 
was  happy  with  God." 

February  2. — Sunday.  "The  purser  of  the  William 
Pitt  told  me  they  were  too  busy  to  have  service.  Thus 
have  these  men  contrived  to  prevent  the  word  of  God 
from  being  preached  to  the  poor  women,  each  Sun- 
day as  it  came." 

February  4. — "  Read  the  Scriptures  without  a  relish 
for  them;  and  God's  presence  withdrawn.  How  dark 
and  wretched  this  stale  of  the  soul !" 

February  5. — "  Rose  early ;  walked  out  discouraged 


154  MEMOIR   OF 

at  the  small  progress  I  made  in  the  eastern  languages. 
My  state  of  bodily  and  mental  indolence  were  becom- 
ing so  alarming,  that  I  struggled  hard  against  both, 
crying  to  God  for  strength.  Notwithstanding  the  re- 
luctance in  my  own  heart,  I  went  to  the  hospital  and 
preached  on  Matt.  11:28;  from  this  time  I  enjoyed 
peace  and  happiness.  Dr.  Vanderkemp  called  to  take 
leave.  I  accompanied  him  and  brother  Smith  out  of 
the  town,  with  their  two  wagons.  The  dear  old  man 
showed  much  affection,  and  gave  me  advice,  and  a 
blessing  at  parting.  While  wo  were  standing  to  take 
leave,  Koster,  a  Dutch  missionary,  was  just  entering 
the  town  with  his  bundle,  having  been  driven  from  his 
place  of  residence.  Brother  Read  also  appeared  from 
another  quarter,  though  we  thought  he  had  gone  to 
sea.  These,  with  Yons*  and  myself,  made  six  mis- 
sionaries, who,  in  a  few  minutes,  all  parted  again." 

In  the  commencement  of  the  voyage  from  the  Cape, 
which  took  place  not  many  days  after  this  short  but 
most  interesting  meeting,  Mr.  Martyn's  patience  was 
exercised,  as  before,  by  the  tediousness  of  the  passage, 
by  sickness,  and  by  languor.  But  whether  tossed  on 
that  stormy  sea  which  roars  around  the  Cape,  or  be- 
calmed in  the  midst  of  the  Indian  ocean,  or  enfeebled 
by  the  recurrence  of  illness  or  extreme  relaxation,  he 
received  all  with  the  meekest  resignation,  as  the  spe- 
cial appointment  of  his  God. 

The  violent  and  increasing  opposition  he  experi- 
enced from  many  of  the  more  intelligent  part  of  the 
passengers,  and  the  discouraging  inattention  he  too 

*  Probably  tbe  missionary  destined  for  Madagascar. 


HENRY    MARTYN.  155 

often  perceived  amongst  the  other  class  of  his  hearers, 
caused  him  to  "  grieve  on  their  account,  and  to  hum- 
ble himself  before  God."  "  I  go  down,"  he  says,  "  and 
stand  in  the  midst  of  a  few,  without  their  taking  the 
slightest  notice  of  me:  Lord,  it  is  for  thy  sake  I  suffer 
such  slights — let  me  persevere  notwithstanding."  But 
though  he  mourned  on  their  account,  "  he  was  con- 
tented to  be  left  without  fruit,  if  such  were  the  will  of 
God."  Conscious  of  having  delivered  his  message 
faithfully,  and  trusting  that,  with  respect  to  both  de- 
scriptions of  his  auditors,  he  had  commended  himself 
to  their  consciences  if  he  had  not  reached  their 
hearts,  his  own  peace  of  mind  was  not  affected :  and 
he  affirms  that  lie  was  "as  happy  as  he  could  be 
without  more  grace;  enjoying  peaceful  thoughts,  ten- 
der recollections,  and  happy  prospects."  How  could 
he  fail  of  pleasantness  and  peace,  when  this  was  the 
genuine  expression  of  the  sentiments  of  his  soul — "I 
am  born  for  God  only.  Christ  is  nearer  to  me  than  fa- 
ther, or  mother,  or  sister — a  nearer  relation,  a  more 
affectionate  friend;  and  I  rejoice  to  follow  him,  and 
to  love  him.  Blessed  Jesus  !  thou  art  all  I  want — a 
forerunner  to  me  in  all  I  ever  shall  go  through  as  a 
Christian,  a  minister,  or  a  missionary." 

The  sickness  with  which  the  ship's  company  had 
been  affected  before  reaching  the  Cape,  prevailed  now 
more  extensively  than  ever.  Many  fell  a  sacrifice  to 
the  disorder ;  and  amongst  others  a  devout  soldier, 
with  whom  Mr.  Martyn  had  often  united  in  prayer 
and  praise,  and  had  often  conversed  on  the  things  oi 
eternity.  It  was  a  mournful  satisfaction  to  him  to  at- 
tend his  Christian  brother  in  his  last  illness,  and  after- 


156  MEMOIR   or 

wards  to  commit  his  body  to  the  deep,  in  certain  ex» 
pectation  that  the  '  sea  should  give  up  her  dead,'  and 
he,  with  him,  should  enter  into  the  joy  of  their  Lord. 
"  Thus,"  he  says,  "  is  my  brother  gone ;  he,  with  whom 
I  have  conversed  on  divine  things,  and  sung,  and 
prayed,  is  entered  into  that  glory  of  which  we  used  to 
discourse.  To  his  multiplied  sorrows  upon  earth  he 
has  bid  an  everlasting  adieu.  May  I  follow  his  faith 
and  patience  till,  with  him,  I  inherit  the  promises." 

Falling  in  with  the  trade-winds,  the  fleet  made  rapid 
progress  towards  India;  and  whilst  the  breezes  wafted 
Mr.  Martyn  towards  the  destined  scene  of  his  labors, 
many  a  sigh  did  he  continue  to  breathe  under  a  sense 
of  his  own  sinfulness  and  weakness  ;  and  many  a  pe- 
tition did  he  pour  forth  for  the  people  to  whom  he  was 
sent.  He  felt  it  "  good  and  suitable  to  walk  through 
this  wrorld  overwhelmed  with  contrition  and  love;  re- 
ceiving with  grateful  contentment  every  painful  dis- 
pensation, because  not  worthy  to  enjoy  the  light  of  this 
world  ;"  praying  that  "  God  would  glorify  himself  by 
the  gifts  and  graces  of  all  his  creatures,  and  make  him 
take  his  place  at  the  bottom  of  them,  unnoticed,  un- 
known, and  forgotten."—"  Oh  !  when  the  Spirit  is 
pleased,"  said  he,  "  to  show  his  creature  but  a  few 
scattered  specimens  of  his  ungodly  days— yea,  of  his 
godly  ones— how  universally  and  desperately  wicked 
doth  he  appear!  Oh!  that  I  knew  how  to  be  duly 
abased  !  What  shall  I  think  of  myself  in  comparison 
of  others  ?  How  ought  1  to  kiss  the  very  dust  beneath 
their  feet,  from  a  consciousness  of  my  inferiority  !  and 
in  my  thoughts  of  God  and  his  dealings  with  me,  how 
ought  I  to  be  wrapped  up  in  constant  astonishment !" 


HEXRY    MARTYR.  157 

Then,  after  setting  apart  a  day  for  fasting  and  humi- 
liation, he  began  to  pvay  for  the  setting  up  of  God's 
kingdom  in  the  world,  especially  in  India ;  and  had 
such  energy  and  delight  in  prayer  as  he  never  had  be- 
fore experienced.  ,;  My  whole  soul,"  he  said,  ';  wres- 
tled with  God.  I  knew  not  how  to  leave  off  crying  to 
him  to  fulfill  his  promises,  chiefly  pleading  his  own 
glorious  power.  I  do  not  know  that  any  thing  would 
be  a  heaven  to  me  but  the  service  of  Christ  and  the 
enjoyment  of  his  presence.  O  how  sweet  is  life  when 
spent  in  his  service  !  I  am  going  upon  a  work  imme- 
diately according  to  the  mind  of  Christ;  and  my  glo- 
rious Lord,  whose  power  is  uncontrollable,  can  easily 
open  a  way  for  his  feeble  follower  through  the  thickest 
of  the  ranks  of  his  enemies.  And  now,  on  let  me  go, 
smiling  at  my  foes;  how  small  are  human  obstacles 
before  this  mighty  Lord  !  How  easy  is  it  for  God  to 
effect  his  purposes  in  a  moment !  What  are  inveterate 
prejudices  when  once  the  Lord  shall  set  to  his  hand  ! 
In  prayer  I  had  a  most  precious  view  of  Christ  as  a 
friend  that  sticketh  closer  than  a  brother.  O  how 
sweet  was  it  to  pray  to  him  !  I  hardly  knew  how  to 
contemplate  with  praise  enough  his  adorable  excel- 
lencies. Who  can  show  forth  all  his  praise  ?  I  can  con- 
ceive it  to  be  a  theme  long  enough  for  eternity.  I  want 
no  other  happiness,  no  other  heaven."  With  such  holy, 
humble,  and  heavenly  sentiments  as  these  did  Mr. 
Martyn  approach  the  shores  of  Hindoostan ;  and  go- 
ing, as  he  was,  into  the  vineyard  of  Bartholomew  and 
Pantenus,  of  Ziegenbalg  and  Swartz,  it  was  in  their 
spirit  that  he  prepared  to  enter  upon  his  labors. 
He  now  consecrated  a  day  to  prayer  and  fasting,  and 
14 


158 


MEMOIR   OF 


represents  himself  as  enjoying,  throughout,  a  most 
blessed  and  serene  view  of  Christ.  The  word  of  God 
"was  very  sweet  to  him  whilst  reading  the  account  of 
his  sufferings  and  death.  He  was  entirely  withdrawn 
from  all  other  concerns,  and  felt  his  soul  cleaving  to 
Christ  his  Savior.  "  In  praying  that  God  would  no 
longer  delay  exerting  his  power  in  the  conversion  of 
the  eastern  nations,  I  felt  emboldened,"  he  observes, 
"  to  employ  the  most  familiar  petitions,  by  Isa.  G2  :  6, 
7.  Blessed  be  God  for  those  words  !  They  are  like  a 
cordial  to  my  spirits :  because,  if  the  Lord  is  not 
pleased  by  me,  or  during  my  life-time,  to  call  the  Gen- 
tiles, yet  he  is  not  offended  at  my  being  urgent  with 
him  that  the  kingdom  of  God  may  come." 

On  the  19th  of  April  Ceylon  was  discovered,  which 
Mr.  Martyn  describes  as  presenting  a  long  range  of 
li ills  running  north  and  south,  broken  in  a  picturesque 
manner,  though  not  lofty,  with  low  lands  between  the 
hills  and  sea,  covered  with  trees:  and  whilst  the 
breezes  from  the  island  regaled  his  senses  by  their 
soothing  and  refreshing  fragrance,  his  mind  was  filled 
with  a  train  of  delightful  anticipations ;  he  was  think- 
ing of  the  time  when  the  name  of  Jesus  should  be  as 
ointment  poured  forth,  in  temples  raised  by  Cingalese 
amidst  their  cinnamon  groves;  and  when  supplica- 
tions should  there  ascend  like  clouds  of  incense, 
through  the  merits  of  the  Redeemer. 

The  Sunday  after  this,  presuming  that  it  would  be 
the  last,  Mr.  Martyn  addressed  the  ship's  company  in 
a  farewell  discourse.  The  occasion,  it  might  have  been 
conceived,  was  such  as  to  preclude  any  disposition  to 
ridicule,  even  in  men  pre-eminentlv  disposed  to  scoff- 


HEXRY    MARTYN.  159 

ing  and  contempt.  But  those  who  had  reviled  him  at 
first,  continued  to  revile  him  to  the  very  last.  "It 
pained  me,"  he  remarked,  "  that  they  should  give  a 
ridiculous  turn  to  any  thing  on  so  affecting  an  occa- 
sion as  that  of  parting  for  ever  in  this  life.  But  such 
is  the  unthankful  office  of  a  minister.  Yet  I  desire  to 
take  the  ridicule  of  men  with  all  meekness  and  charity, 
looking  forward  to  another  world  for  approbation  and 
reward." 

And  now,  after  a  wearisome  interval  of  above  nine 
months  from  the  time  of  his  leaving  Portsmouth,  the 
land  which  Mr.  Martyn  had  so  ardently  longed  10  be- 
hold appeared.  On  the  21st  of  April,  1806,  "his  eyes 
were  gratified  with  the  sight  of  India." 

April  22. — "At  sunrise  we  anchored,"  he  says,  "  in 
Madras  roads.  Several  doolbashes,  or  interpreters,  came 
on  board,  dressed  in  white  muslin.  I  went  ashore  in 
one  of  the  country  boats,  made  very  high  in  order  to 
weather  the  surf,  with  the  boards  throughout  sewed 
together  very  coarsely  with  straw,  and  the  interstices 
filled  with  it.  On  shore  I  was  surrounded  by  an  im- 
mense crowd  of  coolies,  I  suppose  two  hundred,  who 
caught  up  one  box  after  another,  and  were  going  oft 
in  different  directions,  so  that  I  was  obliged  to  run  in- 
stantly and  stop  them  ;  and  having  with  some  difficulty 
got  my  things  together,  I  went  to  the  custom-house, 
attended  by  four  coolies,  a  doolbashee,  an  umbrella- 
carrier,  and  a  boy  or  waiting-man  ;  all  of  whom  at- 
tached themselves  to  me,  without  at  all  consulting  me 
on  the  occasion.  Nothing  as  yet  struck  me  as  remark- 
able in  the  country,  for  the  novelty  of  it  had  been  an- 
ticipated in  what  I  had  seen  at  St.  Salvador.     The 


I  GO  MEMOIR    OF 

number  of  black  people  was  immense,  and  the  crowd 
of  servants  so  great,  that  one  would  suppose  they 
thought  themselves  made  for  the  service  of  the  English. 
The  elegance  of  their  manners  I  was  much  taken  with  ; 
but,  in  general,  one  thought  naturally  occurred — the 
conversion  of  their  poor  souls.  I  felt  a  solemn  sort  of 
melancholy  at  the  sight  of  such  multitudes  of  idola- 
ters. While  the  turbaned  Asiatics  waited  upon  us  at 
dinner,  about  a  dozen  of  them,  I  could  not  help  feeling 
as  if  we  had  got  into  their  places.  But,  now  that  I  am 
actually  treading  Indian  ground,  let  me  bless  and  adore 
my  own  God  for  doing  so  much  for  me;  and  0  !  if  I 
live,  let  me  have  come  hither  for  some  purpose." 

April  26. — "  Towards  night  I  walked  out  with 
Samees,  my  servant,  in  a  pensive  mood;  and  went 
through  his  native  village,  Chindaput.  Here  all  was 
Indian — no  vestige  of  any  thing  European.  It  con- 
sisted of  about  two  hundred  houses — those  in  the 
main  street  connected,  and  those  on  either  side  of  the 
street  separated  from  one  another  by  little  winding 
paths.  Every  thing  presented  the  appearance  of 
wretchedness.  I  thought  of  my  future  labors  among 
them  with  some  despondency  ;  yet  I  am  willing,  I 
trust,  through  grace,  to  pass  my  days  among  them,  if 
by  any  means  these  poor  people  may  be  brought  to 
God.  The  sight  of  men,  women,  and  children,  all  idol- 
aters, makes  me  shudder,  as  if  in  the  dominions  of  the 
prince  of  darkness.  I  fancy  the  frown  of  God  is  visi- 
ble— there  is  something  peculiarly  awful  in  the  still- 
ness that  prevails.  Whether  it  is  the  relaxing  influence 
of  the  climate,  or  what,  I  do  not  know  ;  but  there  is 
every  thing  here  to  depress  the  spirits— all  nature 
droops." 


HENRY    MARTYX.  161 

April  27. — Sunday.  "  Enjoyed  some  solemn  mo 
ments  this  morning.  This  is  my  first  Sabbath  in  In 
dia.  May  all  the  lime  I  pass  in  it  be  a  Sabbath  of  hea- 
venly rest  and  blessedness  to  my  soul !  Preached  on 
Luke,  10  :  41,  42;  there  was  attention.  After  dinner 
went  to  Black-town  to  Mr.  Loveless's  chapel.  I  sat  in 
the  air  at  the  door,  enjoying  the  blessed  sound  of  the 
Gospel  on  an  Indian  shore,  and  joining  with  much 
comfort  in  the  song  of  divine  praise." 

April  28. — "  Had  much  conversation  with  Dr.  Kerr. 
At  night  the  Portuguese  children  sung  '  Before  Jeho- 
vah's awful  throne'  very  sweetly:  it  excited  a  train 
of  affecting  thoughts  in  my  mind.  'Wide  as  the  world 
is  thy  command,'  and  therefore  it  is  easy  for  thee  to 
spread  abroad  thy  holy  name.  But  0  how  gross  the 
darkness  here  !  The  veil  of  the  covering  cast  over  all 
nations  seems  thicker  here:  the  fiends  of  darkness 
seem  to  sit  in  sullen  repose  in  this  land." 

April  30. — "  Walked  by  moonlight,  reflecting  on  the 
mission.  My  soul  was  at  first  sore  tried  with  despond- 
ing thoughts ;  but  God  wonderfully  assisted  me  to 
trust  him  for  the  wisdom  of  his  dispensations.  Truly, 
therefore,  will  I  say  again,  '  Who  art  thou,  O  great 
mountain  ;  before  Zerubbabel  thou  shalt  become  a 
plain.'  How  easy  for  God  to  do  it;  and  it  shall  be 
done  in  due  time:  and  even  if  I  never  should  see  a  na- 
tive converted,  God  may  design,  by  my  patience  and 
continuance  in  the  work  to  encourage  future  missiona- 
ries. But  what  surprises  me  is  the  change  of  views  I 
have  here  from  what  I  had  in  England.  There,  my 
heart  expanded  with  hope  and  joy  at  the  prospect  of 
the  speedy  conversion  of  the  heathen ;  but  here,  the 
14* 


162  MEMOIH   OF 

sight  of  the  apparent  impossibility  requires  a  strong 
faith  to  support  the  spirits." 

After  being  detained  a  short  time  at  Madras,  the 
fleet  sailed  for  the  Hoogley  ;  during  which  voyage  Mr. 
Martyn  again  suffered  indescribably  from  the  relaxa- 
tion of  his  frame.  He  rose  in  the  morning  with  the 
deepest  melancholy,  and  seemed,  as  he  expressed  it, 
left  without  a  motive.  "  Pie  looked  forward  to  an  idle, 
worthless  life  spent  in  India  to  no  purpose.  Exertion 
seemed  to  him  like  death — indeed  absolutely  impossi- 
ble." But  it  pleased  God  at  length  to  give  him  deliver- 
ance, by  enabling  him  to  exercise  faith,  and  to  remem- 
ber that,  as  a  sinner  saved,  he  was  bound  to  evince  the 
most  fervent  gratitude  to  God. 

The  great  pagoda  of  Juggernaut,  now  becoming 
distinctly  visible,  was  a  sight  sufficient  to  rouse  Mr. 
Martyn  from  almost  any  depths  of  depression,  either 
of  body  or  mind.  Contemplating  that  horrid  altar  of 
impurity  and  blood,  his  soul  was  excited  to  sentiments 
of  the  strongest  commiseration  for  the  children  of 
wretched  India,  "who  had  erected  such  a  monument 
of  her  shame  on  the  coast,  and  whose  heathenism  star- 
ed the  stranger  in  the  face." 

Leaving  Juggernaut  behind,  a  tremendous  hurri- 
cane, such  as  is  often  experienced  in  those  latitudes, 
descended  on  the  fleet,  and  in  an  instant  every  sail  of 
the  Union  was  rent  in  pieces.  All  was  uproar  in  the 
ship  ;  nor  was  there  any  resource  but  to  run  before  the 
gale;  which,  had  they  been  further  on  their  way, 
must  have  driven  them  upon  some  sand-banks  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Hoogley.*  Incessant  lightning  rendered 

*  The  western  arm  of  the  Ganges,  on  which  Calcutta  is  si 
tuated. 


HE.NRY    MARTYN.  163 

the  scene  still  more  dreadful.  "When  nature  began  to 
shrink  at  the  fear  of  dissolution,  Mr.  Martyn  was  much 
reconciled,  he  says,  to  it,  by  such  thoughts  as  these  : 
"  What  have  I  here  1  Is  it  not  better  to  go,  and  to  be 
with  Jesus,  and  to  be  free  from  this  body  of  sin  and 
death  '?  But  for  the  sake  of  the  poor  unconverted  souls 
in  the  ship,"  he  adds,  "I  prayed  earnestly  for  her  pre- 
servation." 

To  this  danger,  from  which  Mr.  Martyn  was  merci- 
lully  delivered,  another  of  a  yet  more  formidable  na- 
ture succeeded,  when  he  had  entered  the  mouth  of  the 
Hoogley,  and  was  rejoicing  in  the  happy  termination 
of  an  eventful  voyage. 

On  the  14th  of  May  the  Union  struck  on  a  sand- 
bank near  the  diamond  harbor,  where  her  situation 
was  awfully  dangerous;  for  night  came  on  and  the 
wind  increased.  The  vessel  was  considered  by  the 
captain  as  lost,  and  all  the  passengers  were  in  the  ut- 
most terror.  Mr.  Martyn  ':  retired  for  prayer,  and 
found  his  soul  in  peace:"  nor  was  the  fervent  prayer 
of  this  righteous  man  ineffectual.  After  continuing  in 
extreme  peril  for  two  hours,  the  ship  very  unexpect- 
edly floated  into  deep  water.  Thus  being  yet  more 
deeply  convinced  that  in  God  and  in  his  hand  were 
all  his  ways,  and  having  his  heart  humbled  in  thank- 
fulness to  him  as  the  author  of  all  his  mercies,  Mr. 
Martyn  arrived  at  Calcutta  ;  from  whence  he  thus  dis- 
closed the  sentiments  of  his  heart  to  a  beloved  Chris- 
tian friend  : — 

"My  long  and  wearisome  voyage  is  concluded,  and 
I  am  at  last  arrived  in  the  country  in  which  I  am  to 
spend  my  days  in  the  work  of  the  Lord.  Scarcely  can 


164  MEMOIR   OF 

I  believe  myself  to  be  so  happy  as  to  be  actually  in 
India ;  yet  this  hath  God  wrought.  Through  changing 
climates  and  tempestuous  seas  he  has  brought  on  his 
feeble  worm  to  the  field  of  action,  and  will,  I  trust, 
speedily  equip  me  for  my  work.  I  am  now  very  far 
from  you  all,  and  as  often  as  I  look  around  and  view 
the  Indian  scenery,  I  sigh  to  think  of  the  distance  that 
separates  us.  Time,  indeed,  and  reflection  have,  un- 
der God,  contributed  to  make  the  separation  less 
painful;  yet  still  my  thoughts  recur  with  unceasing 
fondness  to  former  friendships,  and  make  the  duty  of 
intercession  for  you  a  happy  privilege.  Day  and  night 
I  do  not  cease  to  pray  for  you,  and  I  am  willing  to 
hope  that  you  also  remember  me  daily  at  the  throne 
of  grace.  Let  us  not,  by  any  means,  forget  one  ano- 
ther, nor  lose  sight  of  the  day  of  our  next  meeting. 
We  have  little  to  do  with  the  business  of  this  world. 
Place  and  time  have  not  that  importance  in  our  views 
that  they  have  in  those  of  others;  and  therefore  nei- 
ther changes  of  situation  nor  lapse  of  years  should 
weaken  our  Christian  attachment.  I  see  it  to  be  my 
business  to  fulfill,  as  a  hireling,  my  day,  and  then  to 
leave  the  world.  Amen.  We  shall  meet  in  happier  re- 
gions. I  believe  that  those  connections,  and  comforts, 
and  friendships  which  I  have  heretofore  so  desired, 
though  they  are  the  sweetest  earthly  blessings,  are 
earthly  still." 


HENRY   MARTYN.  165 


CHAPTER  V. 

ARRIVAL  AT    CALCUTTA — RESIDENCE   AND   ILLNESS    AT   ALDECN 

PREACHES  AT  CALCUTTA OPPOSITION  ENCOUNTERED — IS  AP- 
POINTED TO  DIN'APORE — LEAVES  CALCUTTA — VOYAGE  UP  THE 
HOOGLEY   AND   GANGES. 

For  many  years  supplications  had  incessantly  as- 
cended up  to  heaven  from  Christians  in  India,  for  the 
spiritual  prosperity  of  that  benighted  land  ;  and  for  a 
considerable  time  a  stated  weekly  meeting  had  been 
held  at  Calcutta,  on  the  recommendation  of  Dr.  Bu- 
chanan and  Mr.  Erown,  for  the  express  purpose  of 
beseeching  the  Lord  to  send  forth  laborers  into  those 
fields  which  were  white  unto  the  harvest.  What  a 
manifest  answer  to  these  petitions  was  the  appearance 
of  Mr.  Martyn  amongst  those  who  had  been  thus  offering 
up  their  prayers  !  One  of  these,*  a  name  dear  to  all 
who  admire  zeal,  integrity,  liberality,  and  an  entire 
consecration  of  the  brightest  talents  to  the  cause  of 
Christian  philanthropy,  was  now  about  to  commence 
his  researches  into  the  state  of  religion  amongst  the 
Syrian  Christians;  and  the  ship  which  conveyed  him 
on  that  interesting  errand,  left  the  mouth  of  the  Hoog- 
ley  as  the  Union  entered  it.  To  him,  doubtless,  the 
sight  of  Mr.  Martyn  would  have  seemed  an  answer  to 
prayer  demanding  the  warmest  thanksgiving ;  the 
voice  of  a  Christian  missionary  would  have  been 
sweeter  in  his  ears  than  even  those  sounds  which  Iip 

"Dr.  Buchanan 


10G  MEMOIR   OF 

afterwards  heard  in  Travancore,  from  the  bells  amongst 
the  hills,  and  which  reminded  him  of  another  country. 

At  Aldeen,  near  Calcutta,  the  residence  of  the  Rev. 
David  Brown,  Mr.  Martyn  was  received  and  welcomed 
with  all  that  cordiality  of  affection  which  characterizes 
the  genuine  servants  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  Finding  in 
him  a  spirit  eminently  congenial  with  his  own,  he 
gladly  became  one  of  his  dear  family,  as  he  expresses 
it,  and  his  days  passed  delightfully.  In  order  that  he 
might  enjoy  as  much  retirement  as  he  deemed  neces- 
sary, Mr.  Brown  prepared  a  pagoda  for  his  habitation  ; 
which  was  situate  on  the  edge  of  the  river,  at  no  great 
distance  from  the  house.  There  the  vaulted  roof  was 
so  changed  from  its  original  destination  as  often  to 
re-echo  the  voice  of  prayer  and  the  songs  of  praise ; 
and  Mr.  Martyn  triumphed  and  rejoiced  K  that  the 
place  where  once  devils  were  worshipped,  was  now 
become  a  Christian  oratory." 

Soon  after  his  being  fixed  at  Aldeen,  his  affectionate 
friends  there  became  seriously  alarmed  at  an  attack 
of  fever  which  he  experienced.  His  illness  was  of  some 
continuance,  and  in  it  he  was  assaulted  by  a  tempta- 
tion more  dangerous  than  uncommon — a  temptation 
to  look  to  himself  for  some  qualification  with  which  to 
approach  the  Savior — for  something  to  warrant  his 
confidence  in  him,  and  hope  of  acceptance  from  him. 
Searching  for  evidences  for  the  purpose  of  ascertain- 
ing whether  we  are  in  Christ,  widely  differs  from 
searching  for  them  to  warrant  a  boldness  of  access  to 
Christ:  for  this  we  require  no  evidence,  but  need 
only  the  passport  of  faith  and  the  plea  of  our  own 
wretchedness  :  and  as  it  is  the  design  of  our  great  ad- 


HENRY    MAHTYN-  167 

versary  (such  is  his  subtlety)  to  lead  us  to  deny  the 
evidences  of  faith  altogether  ;  so  it  is  his  purpose  to 
betray  us  into  a  legal  and  mistaken  use  of  them.  We 
find  Mr.  Marty n  at  this  time  expressing  himself  thus  : 
"  I  could  derive  no  comfort  from  reflecting  on  my  past 
life.  Indeed,  exactly  in  proportion  as  I  looked  for  evi- 
dences of  grace,  I  lost  that  brokenness  of  spirit  which 
I  wished  to  retain,  and  could  not  lie  with  simplicity  at 
the  foot  of  the  cross.  I  really  thought  that  I  was  de- 
parting this  life.  I  began  to  pray  as  on  the  verge  of 
eternity  :  and  the  Lord  was  pleased  to  break  my  hard 
heart.  I  lay  in  tears,  interceding  for  the  unfortunate 
natives  of  this  country  ;  thinking  with  myself  that  the 
most  despicable  soodar  of  India  was  of  as  much  value 
in  the  sight  of  God  as  the  king  of  Great  Britain." 

So  pleasantly  and  sweetly,  after  his  recovery,  did  the 
current  of  Mr.  Martyn's  days  pass  on  at  Aldeen  and 
Calcutta,  that  he  began  to  fear  lest  the  agreeable  so- 
ciety he  met  with  there  should  induce  a  softness  of 
mind  and  an  indisposition  to  solitude  and  bold  exer- 
tion. Of  this  society  he  remarks,  "  I  felt  sometimes 
melancholy  at  the  thought  that  I  should  soon  be  de- 
prived of  it.  But  alas  !  why  do  I  regret  it  ?  Sweet  is 
human  friendship — sweet  is  the  communion  of  saints — 
but  sweeter  far  is  fellowship  with  God  on  earth,  and 
the  enjoyment  of  the  society  of  his  saints  in  heaven." 

The  city  of  Calcutta  was  a  place  so  evidently  suited 
lo  that  order  of  talent  with  which  Mr.  Martyn  was  en- 
dowed, that  it  is  not  to  be  wondered  that  the  solicita- 
tions of  his  Christian  friends  there  should  pour  in  upon 
him  at  this  time,  with  the  view  of  persuading  him  to 
continue  amongst  them   in  a  sphere  which  they  con- 


108  MEMOIR   OF 

sidered  so  well  adapted  for  the  exercise  of  his  minis- 
try. But  it  was  truly  said  of  him  by  one,*  now  before 
the  throne  with  him  in  the  world  of  light,  that  "  he 
had  a  spirit  to  follow  the  steps  of  Brainerd  andSwartz;" 
and  "  to  be  prevented  from  going  to  the  heathen,"  lie 
himself  remarked  on  this  occasion,  "  would  almost 
have  broken  his  heart." 

In  the  vicinity  of  Aldeen,  indeed,  he  witnessed,  with 
horror,  the  cruel  rites  and  debasing  idolatries  of  hea- 
thenism. The  blaze  of  a  funeral  pile  caused  him  one 
day  to  hasten  to  endeavor,  if  possible,  to  rescue  an  un- 
fortunate female,  who  was  consumed,  however,  before 
he  could  reach  the  spot.  In  a  dark  wood,  at  no  great 
distance  from  Serampore,  he  heard  the  sound  of  the 
symbals  and  drums,  summoning  the  poor  natives  to 
the  worship  of  devils — sounds  which  pierced  his  heart; 
and  before  a  black  image,  placed  in  a  pagoda,  with 
lights  burning  around  it,  he  beheld  his  fellow  crea- 
tures prostrating  themselves,  with  their  foreheads  to 
the  earth — a  sight  which  he  contemplated  with  an  over- 
whelming compassion,  whilst  "  he  shivered,"  he  3ays, 
"  as  if  standing,  as  it  were,  in  the  neighborhood  of  hell.' 

Scenes  so  affecting  as  these  might  have  pleaded  with 
him  effectually  in  favor  of  the  proposition  of  his  friends, 
had  he  not  remembered  that  all  these  things  happened 
at  no  great  distance  from  Aldeen,  Serampore,  and  Cal- 
cutta, from  whence  many  a  holy  man  of  God  had  al- 
ready come  forth,  and  would  again  come  forth,  crying 
out  to  the  wretched  idolaters,  "  Why  do  ye  such 
things?"— "  behold  the  Lamb  of  God,  which  taketh 
away  the  sin  of  the  world." 

*  Dr.  Buchanan— Christian  Researches. 


HENRY    MARTYK.  169 

Detained,  as  Mr.  Marty n  unavoidably  was,  at  this 
time,  from  what  he  considered  his  especial  employ- 
ment, he  applied  himself  more  ardently  than  ever  to 
the  acquisition  of  Hindoostanee,  availing  himself  of 
the  assistance  of  a  Cashmirian  Brahmin,  whom  he 
wearied  with  his  unceasing  assiduity.  He  was  also 
instant  in  preaching  the  Gospel  to  his  countrymen, 
both  in  the  Mission  Church,  and  in  the  New  Church 
in  Calcutta. 

His  first  discourse  in  the  New  Church,  on  1  Cor. 
1  :  23,  24,  occasioned  a  great  sensation  ;  of  a  kind  very 
different,  indeed,  from  that  which  he  heartily  desired, 
but  still  one  which,  from  the  treatment  to  which  he 
had  been  accustomed  on  board  the  ship,  he  was  not 
unprepared  to  expect. 

The  plain  exhibition  of  the  doctrines  of  the  Gospel 
was  exceedingly  offensive  to  many  of  his  hearers.  Nor 
did  the  ferment  thus  excited  subside  quickly,  as  it 
often  does,  into  pity  or  contempt.  He  had  the  pain, 
very  shortly  after,  of  being  personally  attacked  from 
the  pulpit  by  some  of  his  brethren,  whose  zeal  hurried 
them  into  the  violation  not  only  of  an  express  canon 
of  the  church,  but  of  the  yet  higher  law  of  Christian 
charity ;  and  led  them  to  make  an  intemperate  attack 
upon  him,  and  upon  many  of  the  truths  of  the  Gospel. 
Even  when  he  was  himself  present  in  church,  Mr. 

spoke  with  sufficient  plainness  of  him  and  of  his 

doctrines,  calling  them  inconsistent,  extravagant,  and 
absurd ;  drawing  a  vast  variety  of  false  inferences  from 
them,  and  thence  arguing  against  them ;  declaring,  for 
instance,  that  to  affirm  repentance  to  be  the  gift  of 
God,  and  to  teach  that  nature  is  wholly  corrupt,  was 

15 


170  MEMOIR   OF 

to  drive  men  to  despair:  and  that  to  suppose  the 
righteousness  of  Christ  sufficient  to  jifstify,  is  to  make 
it  unnecessary  to  have  any  of  our  own.  Though  com- 
pelled to  listen  to  such  downright  heresies;  to  hear 
himself  described  as  knowing  neither  what  he  said 
nor  whereof  he  affirmed,  and  as  aiming  only  to  gratify 
self-sufficiency,  pride,  and  uncharitableness. — "I  re- 
joiced," said  this  meek  and  holy  man,  "to  receive  the 
Lord's  supper  afterwards,  as  the  solemnities  of  that 
blessed  ordinance  sweetly  tended  to  soothe  any  aspe- 
rity of  mind  ;  and  I  think  that  I  administered  the  cup 
to ■  and ,  with  sincere  good  will."  When  ex- 
posed to  a  similar  invective  from  another  preacher, 
who  commenced  a  public  opposition  to  him,  by  de- 
nouncing his  last  sermon,  in  particular,  as  a  rhapsody 
— as  unintelligible  jargon — as  an  enigma  ;  declaring 
that  the  Epistles  of  St.  Paul  were  addressed  to  hea- 
thens alone,  and  that  if  the  Apostle  could  look  down 
from  heaven  and  see  what  use  was  made  of  his  words 
to  distress  and  agitate  the  minds  of  men,  he  would 
grieve  at  such  perversions;  and  who,  in  addition  to 
this,  pointedly  addressed  Mr.  Martyn,  and  charged 
him  with  the  guilt  of  distressing  and  destroying  those 
for  whom  Christ  died — with  taking  away  their  only 
hope,  and  driving  them  to  mopishness,  melancholy, 
and  despair — and  finally,  with  depriving  them  of  the 
only  consolation  they  could  have  on  a  death-bed.  He 
again  observes,  "  We  received  the  Lord's  supper,  and  I 
was  glad  of  the  blessed  ordinance,  as  it  tended  much 
to  compose  my  mind,  and  to  soften  it  into  compassion 
and  love  towards  all  mankind." 
But  if  Mr.  Martyn  had  abundant  reasons  to  be  grieved 


HENRY    MARTYN.  171 

and  pained  at  the  conduct  of  some  of  his  brethren  at 
Calcutta,  he  had  no  small  satisfaction  in  the  wise  and 
temperate  line  pursued  by  another  chaplain,  in  this 
season  of  doubtful  and  distressing  disputation ;  who, 
perceiving  that  the  doctrines  of  the  church  of  England 
were  becoming  a  matter  of  warm  and  general  contro- 
versy, adopted  the  admirable  plan  of  simply  reading 
the  Homilies  to  the  congregation;  thus  leaving  the 
church  to  speak  for  herself,  and  affording  to  all  classes 
an  opportunity  of  deciding  which  of  the  parties  was 
most  in  accordance  with  her  formularies,  Mr.  Marty n 

or  his  opposers.    "Mr. ,"  he  says,  "to  the  great 

satisfaction  of  all  serious  people,  after  stating  the  di- 
versity of  opinion  which  had  lately  prevailed  in  the 
pulpit,  began  to  read  a  Homily  by  way  of  sermon :;: 

and  again,  "  At  the  New  Church  1  read  and  Mr. 

preached  the  second  and  third  parts  of  the  '  Homily 
on  Salvation.1  The  clear  exhibition  of  divine  truth 
which  was  thus  presented,  was  very  rejoicing  to  our 
hearts." 

Attached  as  Mr.  Martyn  was  to  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land, he  was  far  from  either  the  apathy  or  the  jealousy 
in  which  too  many  are  apt  to  indulge  respecting  the 
interests  of  other  Christian  communities.  Very  deci- 
dedly did  he  differ  in  some  important  points  from  his 
Baptist  brethren.  But  it  was  with  the  sincerest  grief 
that  he  heard,  during  his  abode  at  Aldeen,  of  an  order 
issued  by  the  government  (rescinded  afterwards)  to 
prevent  their  preaching  and  distributing  tracts.  So 
perplexed  and  excited  was  he  by  the  intelligence,  that 
it  even  deprived  him  of  sleep  ;  and  he  spoke  after- 
wards with  so  much  vehemence  against  the  measures 


172  MEMOIR  OF 

of  government,  as,  upon  reflection,  to  afford  him  mat- 
ter of  self-condemnation.  "  I  know  not,"  he  said, 
"  what  manner  of  spirit  I  am  of ;  I  fancy  it  is  all  zeal 
for  God;  but  what  a  falsehood  is  this?  I  am  severe 
against  a  governor,  not  making  allowances  for  what 
he  knows.  O!  does  it  become  me  to  be  judging 
others?  Did  Jesus  canvass  the  proceedings  of  go- 
vernment in  the  spirit  of  one  of  this  world  ?  I  pray  to 
be  preserved  from  ever  falling  into  this  snare  again. 
May  I,  with  poverty  of  spirit,  go  on  my  way,  and  ne- 
ver again  trouble  myself  with  what  does  not  belong 
to  me !  I  trust  I  shall  be  able  to  distinguish  between 
zeal  and  self-will.  Let  me  never  fancy  I  have  zeal  till 
my  heart  overflows  with  love  to  every  man  living." 

On  the  13th  of  September,  1806,  Mr.  Martyn  receiv- 
ed his  appointment  to  Dinapore  ;  by  which  time,  not- 
withstanding all  his  vigilance,  the  comforts  of  the  life 
he  had  been  leading  had  so  far  won  upon  him,  that  he 
suffered  much  at  the  thoughts  of  his  removal.  "  It  is 
an  awful  and  an  arduous  thing,"  said  he,  "  to  root  out 
every  affection  for  earthly  things,  so  as  to  live  for  an- 
other world.  I  was  astonished  at  the  attachment  I  felt 
for  earthly  things.  The  happiness  of  invisible  and 
eternal  things  seemed  something  like  a  dream — the 
faint  remains  of  what  I  had  formerly  known.  In  great 
melancholy  I  determined  before  God  to  leave  this 
wretched  world  once  more;  but  my  soul  was  great- 
ly cast  down ;  the  affections  were  entwined  around 
something  or  other  here  ;  so  that  it  appeared  like  death 
to  be  torn  from  it."  So  far,  however,  was  he  from 
yielding  to  selfishness  or  sloth,  that,  as  the  day  of  his 
departure  drew  near,  he  stirred  himself  up  to  the 


HENRY    MARTYN.  173 

consideration  of  the  greatness  of  his  calling,  and  pant- 
ing to  begin  his  work. 

At  the  beginning  of  October  Mr.  Martyn  prepared 
to  leave  that  Christian  family,  in  the  bosom  of  which 
he  had  received  such  unremitted  kindness;  but  not 
before  he  had  welcomed  the  joyful  arrival  of  two  fel- 
low-laborers from  England,  who,  following  his  bright 
track,  and  imitating  his  self-denying  example,  had 
turned  their  backs  on  the  beloved  land  of  their  nativi- 
ty. This  was  an  inexpressible  joy  to  his  heart.  "  I 
went  down"  (he  says  in  his  journal)  <;  to  Calcutta, 
where  we  had  the  happiness  of  meeting  our  dear 
brethren.  I  rode  out  with  them  in  the  evening,  and 
passed  most  of  the  time  in  conversing  about  European 
friends."  And  when  afterwards  he  heard  one  of  them 
(Mr.  Corrie)  preach,  he  thus  expresses  himself:  "  God 
be  praised  for  another  witness  to  his  truth.  O  may 
abundant  grace  and  gifts  rest  on  my  beloved  brother, 
that  the  works  of  God  may  show  themselves  forth  in 
him."  By  these  various  circumstances,  together  with 
the  letters  which  at  the  same  time  he  received  from 
those  to  whom  he  was  so  attached  in  England,  his  af- 
fections of  love  and  joy  were  excited  to  such  a  degree 
as  to  prove  almost  too  much  for  his  frame. 

A  few  days  before  he  left  Aldeen,  several  of  Mr. 
Martyn's  friends  came  together  to  his  pagoda,  in  order 
that  they  might  unite  with  him  in  imploring  a  bless- 
ing on  his  intended  labors.  Such  a  meeting  could  not 
fail  of  being  highly  interesting,  and  was  not  the  less  so 
from  a  recollection  of  the  place  in  which  they  were 
assembled — a  Christian  congregation,  in  a  building 
which  once  had  been  an  idol  temple,  seemed  to  supply 
15* 


174  MEMOIR  OP 

a  consolatory  pledge,  as  well  as  a  significant  emblem, 
of  what  all  earnestly  prayed  for,  and  confidently  antici- 
pated for  poor  idolatrous  India.  "  My  soul,"  said  Mr. 
Martyn,  "never  yet  had  such  divine  enjoyment.  I  felt 
a  desire  to  break  from  the  body  and  join  in  the  high 
praises  of  the  saints  above.  May  I  go  'in  the  strength 
of  this  many  days.'  Amen.  'My  soul  doth  magnify 
the  Lord,  and  my  spirit  hath  rejoiced  in  God  my  Sa- 
vior.' How  sweet  to  walk  with  Jesus — to  love  him— - 
and  to  die  for  him !  'Surely  goodness  and  mercy  shall 
follow  me  ail  the  days  of  my  life  ;  and  I  will  dwell  in 
the  house  of  the  Lord  for  ever.' "  And  again,  the  next 
day,  he  says,  "The  blessed  God  has  again  visited  my 
soul  in  his  power,  and  all  that  was  within  me  blessed 
his  holy  name.  I  found  my  heaven  begun  on  earth. 
No  work  so  sweet  as  that  of  praying  and  living  wholly 
to  the  service  of  God." 

On  the  15th  of  October,  after  taking  leave  of  the 
church  at  Calcutta  in  a  farewell  discourse,  and  of  the 
family  at  Aldeen  in  an  exposition  at  morning  worship, 
Mr.  Martyn  entered  his  budgerow,*  which  was  to  con- 
vey him  to  Dinapore ;  and  sailed  up  the  Ganges,  ac- 
companied by  his  brethren,  Mr.  Brown,  Mr.  Corrie, 
and  Mr.  Parsons.  Mr.  Marshman,t  seeing  them  pass 
by  the  mission  house,  could  not  resist  joining  the  party ; 

*  A  budgerow  is  "  a  traveling  boat  constructed  like  a  plea- 
sure barge.  Some  have  cabins  fourteen  feet  wide,  and  pro- 
portionably  long,  and  draw  from  four  to  five  feet  of  water. 
From  seventeen  to  twenty  miles  a  day  is  the  greatest  distance 
a  large  budgerow  can  be  towed  against  the  stream  during  the 
fair  season." — Rennel. 

t  One  of  the  Baptist  Missionaries. 


HENRY   MARTYN.  175 

and  after  going  a  little  way,  left  them  with  prayer.  At 
night,  Mr.  Martyn  prayed  with  his  brethren  in  the 
vessel;  and  the  next  day  they  devoted  the  whole 
morning  to  religious  exercises.  "  How  sweet  is  pray- 
er," said  he,  "  to  my  soul  at  this  time  !  I  seem  as  if  I 
could  never  be  tired,  not  only  of  spiritual  joys,  but  of 
spiritual  employments,  since  these  are  now  the  same." 

The  day  after,  the  weather  becoming  tempestuous, 
his  brethren  sorrowfully  and  reluctantly  left  him  to 
prosecute  his  voyage  alone.  Before  they  parted,  how- 
ever, they  spent  the  whole  morning  (to  use  his  own 
words)  in  a  divine  ordinance,  in  which  each  of  them 
read  a  portion  of  Scripture,  and  all  of  them  sang  and 
prayed.  "  Mr.  Brown's  passage,  chosen  from  the  1st 
of  Joshua,  was  very  suitable,"  said  Mr.  Martyn,  '  Have 
I  not  sent  thee?'  "Let  this  be  an  answer  to  my  fears, 
O  my  Lord,  and  an  assurance  that  I  am  in  thy  work  ; 
and  that  therefore  I  shall  not  go  forth  at  my  own 
charges,  or  fight  any  enemies  but  thine.  It  was  a  very 
affecting  season  to  me  :  but  in  prayer  I  was  far  from 
a  state  of  seriousness  and  affection." 

"  I  was  left  alone,"  he  writes,  October  17,  in  his 
journal,  "  for  the  first  time  with  none  but  natives.  The 
wind  and  rain  became  so  violent*  that  the  men  let  the 
budgerow  stay  upon  shore  the  whole  day ;  and  in  con- 
sequence of  beating  on  the  ground,  it  leaked  so  much 
that  the  men  were  obliged  to  be  in  my  cabin  to  bale 

*  The  north-westers  are  the  most  formidable  enemies  that 
are  to  be  met  with  in  this  inland  navigation  ;  whole  fleets  of 
trading  boats  have  been  sunk  by  them  almost  instantaneously. 
But  it  is  in  the  great  rivers  alone,  when  increased  in  width,  that 
tbey  are  the  most  formidable.— Rennel. 


176  MEMOIR   OF 

her.  Read  with  the  Moonshee  one  of  the  tracts  which 
he  had  himself  translated  from  the  Bengalee  into  verse. 
Perceiving  him  to  be  alarmed  at  the  violence  of  the 
waves  beating  against  the  boat,  I  began  to  talk  to  him 
about  religion.  He  began  by  saying,  'May  God  be  our 
protector  :'  this  was  a  favorable  beginning.  The  hur- 
ricane abated  before  midnight,  through  mercy." 

Oct.  18. — "Reading  hard  all  day  ;  wrote  out  a  list 
of  the  errata  in  one  of  the  tracts,  and  read  Sanscrit 
grammar.  In  the  evening  walked  along  the  bank  with 
my  gun,  and  fired  at  some  wild  fowl,  which  the  ser- 
vants ate.  At  night,  read  part  of  a  Nagree  tract  with 
the  Moonshee.  Learnt  some  Arabic  roots.  Felt  an  oc- 
casional depression  of  spirits;  but  prayer  instantly 
removed  it ;  so  that,  in  general,  I  was  near  to  God,  and 
happy." 

Oct.  19.— Sunday.  "  The  first  solitary  Sabbath  spent 
amongst  the  heathen:  but  my  soul  not  forsaken  of 
God.  The  prayers  of  my  dear  friends  were  instant  for 
me  this  day,  I  well  perceive :  and  a  great  part  of  my 
prayer  was  occupied  in  delightful  intercession  for 
them.  The  account  of  the  fall  of  man,  in  the  third 
chapter  of  Genesis,  and  of  his  restoration  by  Christ, 
was  unspeakably  affecting  to  my  soul.  Indeed,  every 
thing  I  read  seemed  to  be  carried  home  to  my  soul 
with  ineffable  sweetness  and  power  by  the  Spirit ;  and 
all  that  was  within  me  blessed  his  holy  name.  In  the 
afternoon,  sent  to  the  Moonshee,  that  he  might  hear  the 
Gofpel  read,  or  read  it  himself.  Began  St.  Mark ;  but 
cur  conversation  turning  from  Christianity  to  Moham- 
mad inism,  became  deadening  to  my  spirit.  Our  course 
to- lay  was  along  the  eastern  bank,  which  seems  to 


HENRY  MARTYN.  177 

have  been  lately  the  bed  of  the  river,  and  is  bare  of 
trees  for  a  considerable  distance  from  the  water.  The 
western  bank  is  covered  with  wood.  In  m}r  evening 
walk  saw  three  skeletons." 

Oct.  20.— "Employed  all  the  day  in  translating  the 
first  chapter  of  the  Acts  into  Hindoostanee.  I  did  it 
with  some  care ;  and  wrote  it  all  out  in  the  Persian 
character ;  yet  still  I  am  surprised  I  do  so  little.  In 
my  morning  walk  shot  a  bird  with  a  beautiful  plu- 
mage, called  a  Culean  ;  and  in  the  evening  a  large 
bird,  called  a  Minca.  Putting  my  gun  into  the  boat, 
I  walked  into  the  village  where  the  boat  stopped  for 
the  night,  and  found  the  worshippers  of  Cali  by  the 
sound  of  their  drums  and  cymbals.  I  did  not  think  of 
speaking  to  them,  on  account  of  their  being  Bengalees. 
But,  being  invited  by  the  Brahmins  to  walk  in,  I  en- 
tered within  the  railing,  and  asked  a  few  questions 
about  the  idol.  The  Brahmin,  who  spoke  bad  Hin- 
doostanee, disputed  with  great  heat,  and  his  tongue 
ran  faster  than  I  could  follow ;  and  the  people,  who 
were  about  one  hundred,  shouted  applause.  But  I  con- 
tinued to  ask  my  questions,  without  making  any  re- 
marks upon  the  answers.  I  asked,  among  other  things, 
w  hether  what  I  had  heard  of  Vishnu  and  Brahma  was 
true;  which  he  confessed.  I  forbore  to  press  him 
with  the  consequences,  which  he  seemed  to  feel ;  and 
then  I  told  him  what  was  my  belief.  The  man  grew 
quite  mild,  and  said  it  was  chula  bat  (good  words ;) 
and  asked  me  seriously,  at  last,  what  I  thought — was 
idol-worship  true  or  false  ?  I  felt  it  a  matter  of  thank- 
fulness that  I  could  make  known  the  truth  of  God 
though  but  a  stammerer  :  and  that  I  had  declared  it  in 


178  MEMOIR   OF 

the  presence  of  the  devil.  And  this  also  I  learnt,  that 
the  power  of  gentleness  is  irresistible.  I  never  was 
more  astonished  than  at  the  change  in  the  deportment 
of  this  hot-headed  Brahmin.  Read  the  Sanscrit*  gram- 
mar till  bed-time." 

Oct.  21. — "  Morning  at  Sanscrit,  without  gaining 
any  ground.  Afternoon,  with  my  Moonshee,  correct- 
ing Acts  1 ;  and  felt  a  little  discouraged  at  finding  I 
still  wrote  so  incorrectly  ;  though  much  pleased  at  his 
great  apparent  desire  of  having  it  perfectly  accurate. 
Though  not  joyful  in  my  spirit,  as  when  my  friends 
left  me,  I  feel  my  God  to  be  an  all-satisfying  portion, 
and  find  no  want  of  friends.  Read  Genesis  and  Luke  ; 
at  night  in  the  Septuagint  and  Hindoostanee.  Came 
to  at  a  desert  place  on  the  western  bank." 

Oct.  22. — "  Shot  a  bird  somewhat  larger  than  a 
woodcock,  but  like  it  in  taste,  and  a  snipe.  The  Mu- 
salchee  who  attended  me,  seeing  an  old  man  who  had 
caught  some  fish,  made  a  requisition  of  them.  The 
old  man  understood  the  Musalchee's  meaning  better 
than  I  did,  for  he  began  to  entreat  me,  saying  '  he 
was  a  poor  man,'  and  was  quite  overjoyed  to  find  that 
I  had  not  given  an  order  to  plunder  him,  but  meant  to 
pay.  I  then  recollected  what  Mr.  Brown  told  me  of 
the  custom  the  servants  have  of  making  requisitions 
from  the  natives  in  the  name  of  their  English  masters. 
Alas!  poor  natives,  how  accustomed  they  are  to  in- 
justice! They  cannot  believe  their  English  masters  to 
be  better  than  their  Mohammedan  ones." 

"  A  Brahmin  of  my  own  age  was  performing  his  de~ 

*  The  common  source  of  the  Hindoo  languages. 


HENRY    MARTYN.  179 

votions  to  Gunga  early  this  morning,  when  I  was  go- 
ing to  prayer.  My  soul  was  struck  with  the  sovereignty 
of  God,  who  out  of  pure  grace,  had  made  such  a  dif- 
ference in  all  the  external  circumstances  of  our  lives. 

0  let  not  that  man's  earnestness  rise  up  in  judgment 
against  me  at  the  last  day.  In  the  afternoon  they 
were  performing  the  ceremony  of  throwing  the  effi- 
gies of  Cali,  collected  from  several  villages,  into  the 
river;  in  addition  to  the  usual  music,  there  were  trum- 
pets. The  objects  of  worship,  which  were  figures  in 
relief  on  the  sector  of  a  circle  of  about  one  hundred 
and  twenty  degrees,  most  gorgeously  bedecked  with 
tinsel,  were  kept  under  a  little  awning  in  their  respec- 
tive boats.  As  the  budgerow  passed  through  the  boats, 
they  turned  so  as  to  present  the  front  of  their  goddess 
to  me,  and  at  the  same  time  blew  a  blast  with  their 
trumpet,  evidently  intending  to  gratify  me  with  a  sight 
of  what  appeared  to  them  so  fine.  Had  their  employ- 
ment been  less  impious,  I  should  have  returned  the 
compliment  by  looking ;  but  I  turned  away.  Yet  I 
felt  no  tenderness  of  grief;  nor  in  the  morning  did  I 
feel  any  thing  like  due  thankfulness  for  God's  electing 
mercy  in  making  me  thus  to  differ  from  the  Brahmins. 

1  have  daily  and  hourly  proofs  of  my  corruption  :  for 
when  does  my  heart  come  up  to  what  my  half-enlight- 
ened understanding  approves  ?  .  Yet  I  intend,  through 
grace,  to  continue  praying  to  the  end  for  their  poor 
precious  souls,  and  that  the  kingdom  of  God  may  be 
set  up  here." 

':  Came-to  on  the  eastern  bank,  below  a  village  call- 
ed Ahgadeep.  Wherever  I  walked,  the  women  fled 
at  the  sight  of  me.     Some  men  were  sitting  under  the 


ISO  MEMOIR   OP 

shed  dedicated  to  their  goddess,  and  a  lamp  was  burn- 
ing in  her  plaee.  A  conversation  soon  began,  bul 
there  was  no  one  who  could  speak  Hindoostanee,  so 
all  I  could  say  was  by  the  medium  of  my  Mussulman 
Musalchee.  They  said  that  they  only  did  as  others 
did  ;  and  that  if  they  were  wrong,  then  all  Bengal  was 
wrong.  I  felt  love  for  their  souls,  and  longed  for  ut- 
terance to  declare  unto  those  poor  simple  people  the 
holy  Gospel.  1  think  that  when  my  mouth  is  opened 
I  shall  preach  to  them  day  and  night.  I  feel  that  they 
are  my  brethren  in  the  flesh — precisely  on  a  level 
with  myself." 

"  In  the  morning  upon  Sanscrit,  though  still  quite 
in  the  dark.  Afternoon  with  the  Moonshee." 

Oct.  23. — "  The  tow-rope  broke,  and  we  were  hur- 
ried down  the  stream  with  great  rapidity,  the  stream 
running  seven  miles  an  hour.  We  ran  foul  of  several 
large  boats,  and  I  expected  we  should  go  to  pieces. 
The  people  of  the  other  boats  would  not  afford  the 
least  help ;  so  tho  Mangee  and  his  assistant  jumped 
overboard  with  a  rope,  and  succeeded  in  getting  ashore, 
but  were  unable  to  stop  her  till  she  ran  foul  of  another, 
which  was  made  fast.  Came-to  at  night  on  the  eastern 
bank.  A  delightful  season  to  me,  on  account  of  the 
serenity  of  my  mind  and  of  my  happy  and  solemn  re- 
flections on  the  grace  of  my  God  towards  his  poor 
creature." 

"  I  thought  at  night  more  than  usual  of  my  dear 

I, .  But  the  more  I  exaggerate  these  ideal  joys,  the 

more  do  I  treasure  up  subjects  of  wo.  O  what  vanity 
has  God  written  upon  all  things  under  the  sun  !" — "  As 
J  returned  late,  I  passed  between  the  river  and  a  party 


fiEIx'UY   MARTYN.  181 

of  jackals;  they  kept  at  a  little  distance  till  we  were 
passed." 

October  25. — "  Passed  the  morning  in  writing  out  of 
the  rules  of  Sundhi,  Had  a  very  solemn  season  of 
prayer,  by  the  favor  of  God,  over  some  of  the  chapters 
of  Genesis;  but  especially  the  conclusion  of  the  119th 
Psalm.  O  that  these  holy  resolutions  and  pious  breath- 
ings were  entirely  my  own  !  Adored  be  the  never-fail- 
ing mercy  of  God  !  He  has  made  my  happiness  to  de- 
pend, not  on  the  uncertain  connections  of  this  life,  but 
upon  his  own  most  blessed  self — a  portion  that  never 
faileth.  Came-to  on  the  eastern  bank.  The  opposite 
side  was  very  romantic ;  adorned  with  a  stately  range 
of  very  high  forest  trees,  whose  deep  dark  shade 
seemed  impenetrable  to  the  light.  In  my  evening  walk 
enjoyed  great  solemnity  of  feeling,  in  the  view  of  the 
world  as  a  mere  wilderness,  through  which  the  chil- 
dren of  God  are  passing  to  a  better  country.  It  was  a 
comforting  and  a  solemn  thought,  and  was  unspeak- 
ably interesting  to  me  at  the  time,  that  God  knew 
whereabouts  his  people  were  in  the  wilderness,  and 
was  supplying  them  with  just  what  they  wanted." 

"  On  my  return  towards  the  boat  I  saw  a  wild-boar, 
of  a  very  large  size,  galloping  parallel  to  the  river.  I 
had  not  a  gun  with  me,  or  I  might  have  killed  him,  as 
lie  was  within  reach  of  a  fusee  ball.  In  my  budgerow 
found  great  delight  in  Hart's  Hymns  at  night." 

October  26.— Sunday.  "  Passed  this  Lord's  day  with 
great  comfort  and  much  solemnity  of  soul.  Glory  to 
God  for  his  grace  !  Reading  the  Scriptures  and  prayer 
took  up  the  first  part  of  the  day.  Almost  every  chapter 

16 


182  MEMOIR   OF 

I  read  was  blest  to  my  soul,  particularly  the  last  chap- 
ter of  Isaiah  :  '  It  shall  come,  that  I  will  gather  all  na- 
tions and  tongues ;  and  they  shall  come,  and  see  my 
glory,'  &c.  Rejoice,  my  soul,  in  the  sure  promises  of 
Jehovah.  How  happy  am  I,  when,  in  preparing  for 
the  work  of  declaring  his  glory  among  the  Gentiles,  I 
think  that  many  of  the  Lord's  saints  have  been  this 
day  remembering  their  unworthy  friend.  I  felt  as  if  I 
could  never  be  tired  with  prayer.  In  the  afternoon 
read  one  of  Gibert's  French  Sermons,  Bates  on  Death, 
and  some  of  the  Nagree  Gospels.  In  the  evening  we 
came-to  on  the  eastern  bank.  I  walked  into  a  neigh- 
boring village  with  some  tracts.  The  children  ran 
away  in  great  terror;  and  though  there  were  some 
men  here  and  there,  I  found  no  opportunity  or  encou- 
ragement to  try  if  there  were  any  that  could  speak 
Hindoostanee :  however,  I  felt  vexed  with  myself  for 
not*  taking  more  pains  to  do  them  good.  Alas!  while 
Satan  is  destroying  their  souls,  does  it  become  the  ser- 
vants of  God  to  be  lukewarm?  At  night,  read  the 
third  and  fourth  chapters  of  the  Acts;  and  lost  much 
time  and  spirituality  by  indulging  ideas  of  schemes 
about  the  Gospel,  which  had  more  of  romance  and 
pride  in  them  than  of  wisdom  and  humiliation." 

October  27. — "  Arrived  at  Berhampore.  In  the  even- 
ing walked  out  to  see  the  cantonments  at  the  hospital, 
in  which  there  were  one  hundred  and  fifty  European 
soldiers  sick.  I  was  talking  to  a  man,  said  to  be  dy- 
ing, when  a  surgeon  entered.  I  went  up  and  made 
some  apology  for  entering  the  hospital.  It  was  my  old 

school-fellow  and  townsman, -.   The  remainder 

)f  the  evening  he  spent  with  me  in  my  budgerow.  He 


HENRY    MARTYN.  183 

pressed  me  much  to  stay  longer  with  him,  which  I  re- 
fused; but  afterwards,  on  reflection,  I  thought  it  my 
duty  to  stay  a  little  longer,  thinking  I  might  have  an 
opportunity  of  preaching  to  the  soldiers." 

October  28. — "  Rose  very  early,  and  was  at  the  hos- 
pital at  day-light.  Waited  there  a  long  time,  wander- 
ing up  and  down  the  wards,  in  hopes  of  inducing  the 
men  to  get  up  and  assemble ;  but  it  was  in  vain.  I  left 
three  books  with  them  ;  and  went  away  amidst  the 
sneers  and  titters  of  the  common  soldiers.  Certainly 
it  is  one  of  the  greatest  crosses  I  am  called  to  bear,  to 
take  pains  to  make  people  hear  me.  It  is  such  a  strug- 
gle between  a  sense  of  propriety  and  modesty  on  the 
one  hand,  and  a  sense  of  duty  on  the  other,  that  I  find 
nothing  equal  to  it.  I  could  force  my  way  any  where, 
in  order  to  introduce  a  brother  minister  ;  but  for  my- 
self, I  act  with  hesitation  and  pain.  Mr. pro- 
mised to  ask  the  head  surgeon's  permission  for  me  to 
preach,  and  appointed  the  hour  at  which  I  should 
come.  I  went  there ;  but,  after  waiting  two  hours,  was 
told  that  the  surgeon  was  gone  without  being  spoken 
to,  and  many  other  excuses  were  made.  So,  as  it  was 
now  the  heat  of  the  day,  I  saw  it  was  of  no  use  to  make 
any  more  attempts,  and  therefore  I  went  on  my  wajr. 
At  night,  from  mere  thoughtlessness,  went  on  shore 
without  tracts,  and  lost  a  better  opportunity  than  I 
have  yet  had  of  distributing  them  among  the  people. 
My  soul  was  dreadfully  wounded  at  the  recollection 
of  it ;  and  O  may  the  conviction  of  my  wickedness  rest 
upon  my  soul  all  my  days  !  How  many  souls  will  rise 
up  in  judgment  against  me  at  the  last  day,  God  only 
knows.    The  Lord  forgive  my  guilty  soul,  deliver  me 


184  MEMOIR   OF 

from  blood-guiltiness,  and  make  me  to  remember  for 
what  purpose  I  came  hither  !" 

Oct.  29. — "  Passed  Cossim  Buzar  and  Moorsheda- 
bad  in  the  middle  of  the  day ;  and  so  my  resolutions 
of  repairing  my  past  negligence  were  defeated,  for  we 
stopped  at  night  where  there  was  not  a  house.  I  talk- 
ed with  a  party  of  boatmen,  and  begged  them  to  take 
a  tract ;  but  I  could  not  prevail  upon  them.  Though 
they  were  Rajemahl  people,  I  could  scarcely  under- 
stand them,  or  they  me,  at  all.  I  am  grieved,  and  dis- 
appointed, and  ashamed  at  my  extraordinary  back- 
wardness in  the  language  ;  but  I  hope  not  to  be  dis- 
couraged. Employed  the  whole  day  in  translating 
Acts,  chap.  2,  and  correcting  it  with  my  Moonshee." 

Oct.  30. — "Employed  the  whole  day,  as  yesterday, 
about  the  same  chapter.  Read  also  the  Ramayuna,  and 
Sale's  Introduction  to  the  Koran.  My  views  enlarge 
rapidly  respecting  the  state  of  things  among  the  Hin- 
doos and  Mohammedans.  My  soul  was  in  a  most  aw- 
ful state  of  depression;  Satan  was  at  work,  and  my 
soul  found  safety  only  in  holding  by  God  as  a  child 
clings  to  the  neck  of  its  mother.  Thanks  be  to  God 
that  I  have  the  witness  in  myself.  '  The  anointing, 
which  ye  have  received  of  him,  abideth  in  you,  and 
ye  need  not  that  any  man  teach  you,  but  as  the  same 
anointing  teacheth  you  of  all  things,'  &c.  O  how  re- 
freshing and  supporting  to  my  soul  was  the  holiness  oj 
the  word  of  God  )  sweeter  than  the  sweetest  promise, 
at  this  time,  was  the  constant  and  manifest  tendency 
of  the  word  to  lead  men  to  holiness  and  the  deepest 
seriousness.  What  a  contrast  is  it  to  the  mock  majesty 
of  the  Koran,  and  the  trifling  indecent  stuff  of  the 


HENRY    MARTY  X.  185 

Ramayuna !  My  whole  soul  seems  at  present  engrossed 
in  the  work  of  being  the  messenger  of  truth ;  and  at 
every  season  of  prayer,  I  found  a  peculiar  tenderness 
in  praying  for  those  unenlightened  people." 

Oct.  31.—"  Passed  a  very  populous  village  called 
Jungipore." 

"Stopped  at  night  again  in  a  desert  place.  Em- 
ployed as  yesterday.  My  Moonshee  said,  '  How  can 
you  prove  this  book  (putting  his  hand  on  the  Gospel) 
to  be  the  word  of  God  ?'  I  took  him  to  walk  with  me 
on  the  shore,  that  we  might  discuss  the  matter ;  and 
the  result  of  our  conversation  was,  that  I  discovered 
that  the  Mussulmen  allow  the  Gospel  to  be,  in  general, 
the  command  of  God,  though  the  words  of  it  are  not 
His,  as  the  words  of  the  Koran  are  ;  and  contend  that 
the  actual  words  of  God  given  to  Jesus  were  burnt  by 
the  Jews  ; — that  they  also  admit  the  New  Testament  to 
have  been  in  force  till  the  coming  of  Mohammed. 
When  I  quoted  some  passages  which  proved  the 
Christian  dispensation  to  be  the  final  one,  he  allowed 
it  to  be  inconsistent  with  the  divinity  of  the  Koran, 
but  said,  '  Then  those  words  of  the  Gospel  must  be 
false."  The  man  argued  and  asked  his  questions  seem- 
ingly in  earnest;  and  another  new  impression  was 
left  upon  my  mind,  namely,  that  these  men  are  not 
fools,  and  that  all  ingenuity  and  clearness  of  reasoning 
are  not  confined  to  England  and  Europe.  I  seem  to 
feel  that  these  descendants  of  Ham  are  as  dear  to  God 
as  the  haughty  sons  of  Japheth;  I  feel,  too,  more  at 
home  with  the  Scriptures  than  ever:  every  thing  I  see 
gives  light  to,  and  receives  it  from,  the  Scriptures.  I 
16* 


186  MEMOIR   OF 

seem  transported  back  to  the  ancient  times  of  the  Is- 
raelites and  the  Apostles." 

"  My  spirit  felt  composed  after  the  dispute,  by  sim- 
ply looking  to  God  as  one  who  had  engaged  to  sup- 
port his  own  cause ;  and  I  saw  it  to  be  my  part  to 
pursue  my  way  through  the  wilderness  of  this  world, 
looking  only  to  that  redemption  which  daily  draweth 
nigh.  The  same  thoughts  continued  through  the  even- 
ing. I  reflected,  while  looking  at  the  stream  gliding 
by.  the  smooth  current  of  which  showed  its  motion 
only  by  the  moon  shining  upon  it,  that  all  are  alike 
carried  down  the  stream  of  time — that  in  a  few  years 
there  will  be  another  generation  of  Hindoos,  Mussul- 
men,  and  English  in  this  country :  and  we  are  now 
but  just  speaking  to  each  other  as  we  are  passing 
along.  How  should  this  consideration  quell  the  tumult 
of  anger  and  impatience  when  I  cannot  convince 
men.  O  how  feeble  an  instrument  must  a  creature  so 
short-sighted  be  !  How  necessary  is  it  that  God  should 
be  continually  raising  up  new  instruments;  and  how 
easily  can  he  do  it;  the  'government  is  on  his  shoul- 
ders,' Jesus  is  able  to  bear  the  weight  of  it ;  there- 
fore we  need  not  be  oppressed  with  care  or  fear :  but 
a  missionary  is  apt  to  fancy  himself  an  Atlas." 

November  1. — "  Employed  all  day  in  translating 
the  third  chapter  of  the  Acts.  Came-to  at  a  place  where 
there  was  no  house.  For  the  first  time  since  arriving 
in  Bengal,  saw  some  hills  appearing  in  the  N.  W." 

Nov.  2. — Sunday.  "My  mind  was  greatly  oppress- 
ed that  I  had  done  and  v/as  doing  nothing  in  the  way 
of  distributing  tracts.  To  free  my  conscience  from  the 
charge  of  unprofitableness  and  neglect,  I  wished  to  go 


HENRY    MARTYN.  187 

ashore  in  the  middle  of  the  day,  wherever  I  thought  I 
might  meet  people  ;  but  did  not  land  till  we  came-to 
on  the  bank  of  the  Ganges,  which  we  entered  just  be- 
fore sunset.  Hills  appeared  from  S.  W.  to  N.  W. 
Some  of  these  were  the  Rajemahl  hills.  Walking  on 
shore,  I  met  with  a  very  large  party  ;  and  entering  in- 
to conversation,  I  asked  if  any  of  them  could  read. 
One  young  man,  who  seemed  superior  in  rank  to  the 
rest,  said  he  could,  and  accordingly  read  some  of  the 
only  Nagree  tract  that  I  had.  I  then  addressed  myself 
boldly  to  them,  and  told  them  of  the  Gospel.  When 
speaking  of  the  inefficacy  of  the  religious  practices  of 
the  Hindoos,  I  mentioned,  as  an  example,  the  repetition 
of  the  name  of  Ram.  The  young  man  assented  to 
this,  and  said,  'Of  what  use  is  it?5  As  he  seemed  to 
be  of  a  pensive  turn,  and  said  this  with  marks  of  dis- 
gust, I  gave  him  a  Nagree  Testament — the  first  I  have 
given.  May  God's  blessing  go  along  with  it,  and  cause 
the  eyes  of  multitudes  to  be  opened  !  The  men  said 
they  should  be  glad  to  receive  tracts;  so  I  sent  them 
back  a  considerable  number  by  the  young  man.  The 
idea  of  printing  the  parables  in  proper  order,  with  a 
short  explanation  subjoined  to  each,  for  the  purpose 
of  distribution  and  as  school  books,  suggested  itself  to 
me  to-night,  and  delighted  me  much." 

Nov.  3. — "  Crossed  the  river,  in  order  to  get  to  Chan- 
dry.  But  the  wind  growing  very  strong,  we  were  ob- 
liged to  come-to  by  a  sand-bank.  Began  my  work  by 
writing  a  few  remarks  on  one  of  the  parables.  Finish- 
ed'Sale's  Preliminary  Discourse  to  the  Koran,' and 
read  the  Ramayuna.  Arrived  at  Chandry,  and  found 
and ;  walked  with  them  over  some  of  the 


188  MEMOIR    OF 

ruins  of  Gour;  a  mosque,  which  was  still  standing  en- 
tire, was  indeed  worth  seeing.  We  observed  several 
monkeys,  and  the  print  of  a  tiger's  foot. 

Nov.  4. — "After  officiating  at  morning  worship,  1 
went  up  with  my  friends  in  a  boat  to  Gomalty ;  stop- 
ping by  the  way  to  visit  one  of  their  schools  at  Mirdy- 
pore,*  which  much  delighted  me.  The  little  boys, 
seated  cross-legged  on  the  ground  all  around  the 
room,  read  some  of  the  New  Testament  to  us.  While 
they  displayed  their  powers  of  reading,  their  fathers 
and  mothers  crowded  in  great  numbers  round  the 
doors." 

Nov.  5. — "Received  letters  from  Messrs.  Brown, 
Corrie,  and  Parsons,  which  much  revived  me.  At  even- 
ing worship,  discoursed  from  Isaiah,  63  :  1.  My  soul 
continued  sweetly  engaged  with  God:  though  the 
praises  of  the  people  of  Calcutta  were  in  some  degree 
an  interruption  of  that  sweet  peace  which  is  only  to 
be  found  in  being  nothing  before  God." 

Nov.  7. — "  This  morning,  after  speaking  on  Acts, 

20  :  32,  I  took  my  leave ;  and  with  Mr. went  in 

palanquins  to  Massamgung.  Frequently  cast  down  to- 
day. From  want  of  diligent  employment,  my  thoughts 
had  time  to  wander  in  .search  of  some  earthly  good ; 
but  I  found  that  recollection  of  what  I  deserved  at  the 
hands  of  God  restored  me  to  greater  peace." 

Nov.  8. — "Early  this  morning  reached  Rajemahl, 
and  walked  to  view  the  remains  of  its  ancient  splen- 
dor. 

*  Here  are  thirteen  or  fourteen  village  schools,  and  in  conse- 
quence a  marked  progress  of  civilization. 


HENRY   MARTYN.  189 

Moonshec,  a  Mussulman,  when  he  received  one  of  the 
Hindoostanee  tracts,  and  found  what  it  was.  was 
greatly  alarmed  ;  and  after  many  awkward  apologies, 
returned  it,  saying  that  '  a  man  who  had  his  legs  in 
two  different  boats,  was  in  danger  of  sinking  between 
them.'  Went  on,  much  discouraged  at  the  suspicion 
and  rebuffs  I  met  with,  or  rather  pained;  for  I  feel 
not  the  less  determined  to  use  every  effort  to  give  the 
people  the  Gospel.  O  that  the  Lord  would  pour  out 
upon  them  a  spirit  of  deep  concern  for  their  souls ! 
In  a  walk  at  Rajemahl  met  some  of  the  hill  people. 
Wrote  down  from  their  mouth  some  of  the  names  of 
things.  From  their  appearance  they  seemed  connect- 
ed with  the  Hottentots  and  Chinese.  Passed  the  day 
in  correcting  Acts,  chap.  3,  with  the  Moonshee.  At 
night  walked  with  Mr.  G.  into  a  village,  where  we  met 
with  some  more  of  the  hill  people.  With  one  of  them, 
who  was  a  Manghee,  or  chief  of  one  of  the  hills,  I  had 
some  conversation  in  Hindoostanee  ;  and  told  him 
that  wicked  men,  after  death,  go  to  a  place  of  fire ;  and 
good  men  above,  to  God.  The  former  struck  him  ex- 
ceedingly. He  asked  again,  'What?  do  they  go  to  a 
place  of  great  pain  and  fire'?'  These  people,  he  said, 
sacrifice  oxen,  goats,  pigeons,  &c.  I  asked  him  if  he 
knew  what  this  was  for,  and  then  explained  the  design 
of  sacrifices  ;  and  told  him  of  the  great  Sacrifice  ;  but 
he  did  not  seem  to  understand  me,  and  appeared  pen- 
sive, after  hearing  that  wicked  men  go  to  hell.  He 
asked  us,  with  great  kindness,  to  have  some  of  his 
wild  honey,  which  was  the  only  thing  he  had  to  offer. 
How  surprising  is  the  universal  prevalence  of  sacri- 
fices !  This  circumstance  will,  perhaps,  be  made  use 


190  MEMOIR    OF 

of  for  the  universal  conversion  of  the  nations.  How 
desirable  that  some  missionary  should  go  among  these 
people  !  No  prejudices  ;  none  of  the  detestable  pride 
and  self-righteousness  of  their  neighbors  in  the  plains." 

Nov.  9. — "  Passed  the  Sabbath  rather  uncomfortably. 

With  Mr. I  read  several  portions  of  the  sacred 

Scriptures,  and  prayed  in  the  afternoon.  We  reached 
Sichigully,  a  point  where  the  Rajemahl  hills  jut  out 
into  the  Ganges.  It  was  a  romantic  spot.  We  went 
ashore,  and  ascended  an  eminence  to  look  at  the  ruins 
of  a  mosque.  The  grave,  and  room  over  it,  of  a  Mus- 
sulman warrior  killed  in  battle,  were  in  perfect  pre- 
servation ;  and  lamps  are  still  lighted  there  every 
night.  We  saw  a  few  more  of  the  hill  people,  one  of 
whom  had  a  bow  and  arrows ;  they  were  in  a  hurry 
to  be  gone,  and  went  off,  men,  women,  and  children, 
into  their  native  woods.  As  I  was  entering  the  boat, 
I  happened  to  touch  with  my  stick  the  brass  pot  of  one 
of  the  Hindoos,  in  which  rice  was  boiling.  So  denied 
were  we  in  their  sight,  that  the  pollution  passed  from 
my  hand,  through  the  stick  and  the  brass,  to  the  meat. 
He  rose  and  threw  it  all  away.  We  read  together  at 
night  an  excellent  sermon  on  2  Cor.  5  :  1." 

Nov.  10. — "  Employed  almost  all  the  day  in  finish- 
ing the  correction  of  the  third  of  the  Acts  with  my 
Moonshee,  and  in  writing  on  some  of  the  parables. 
Went  on  the  north  side  of  the  river,  and  set  Mr. 

G ashore  ;  walked  with  him  to  a  nulla,  expecting 

to  find  his  boat ;  but  it  not  being  there,  we  were  obliged 
to  walk  back  by  night.  Happily  we  procured  a  torch 
in  a  village  near,  and  were  thus  preserved  from  the 
wild  buffaloes,  whose  recent  footsteps  in  the  path  gave 


HENRY    MARTY N  191 

lis  no  small  alarm.  I  am  constantly  preserved,  through 
the  good  providence  of  the  Lord.  Employed  in  les- 
sons of  Persian,  writing  and  reading  Ramayuna." 

Nov.  11. — "This  morning,  after  prayer,  Mr.  G 

took  his  leave.  I  returned  to  my  work  without  inter- 
ruption, and  with  no  small  delight.  The  thought  oc- 
curred to  my  mind  very  strongly,  how  much  have  I 
to  learn  of  divine  things,  if  the  Lord  will  be  pleased  to 
teach  me.  I  want  above  all,  a  meek,  serious,  resigned, 
Christ-like  spirit.  May  I  have  grace  to  live  above 
every  human  motive ;  simply  with  God,  and  to  God ; 
and  not  swayed,  especially  in  the  missionary  work,  by 
the  opinions  of  people  not  acquainted  with  the  state 
of  things,  whose  judgment  may  be  contrary  to  my 
own.  But  it  is  a  matter  of  no  small  difficulty  to  keep 
one's  eye  from  wandering  to  the  church  in  Calcutta, 
and  in  England." 

Nov.  12. — "  Employed  all  the  day  in  translating,  in 
which  work  the  time  passes  away  pleasantly  and  ra- 
pidly. The  cold  mornings  and  evenings  begin  to  be 
very  severe.  Though  the  thermometer  was  only  down 
to  61°,  I  should  have  been  glad  of  a  fire.  It  was  81* 
in  the  middle  of  the  day.  We  passed  this  day  out  of 
Bengal  into  Bahar." 

Nov.  13.— "This  morning  we  passed  Colgong.  I 
went  ashore,  and  had  a  long  conversation  with  two 
men.  As  I  approached  more  and  more  to  religion, 
they  were  the  more  astonished ;  and  when  I  mentioned 
the  day  of  judgment,  they  looked  at  each  other  in  the 
utmost  wonder,  with  a  look  that  expressed,  'how 
6hould  he  know  any  thing  about  that !'  I  felt  some 
satisfaction  in  finding  myself  pretty  well  understood 


192  MEMOIR   OF 

in  what  I  said  ;  but  they  could  not  read  ;  and  no  peo- 
ple came  near  us  ;  and  so  I  had  the  grief  of  leaving 
this  place  without  supplying  it  with  one  ray  of  light. 
I  wras  much  burdened  with  a  consciousness  of  blood- 
guiltiness  ;  and  though  I  cannot  doubt  of  my  pardon 
by  the  blood  of  Christ,  how  dreadful  the  reflection 
that  any  should  perish  who  might  have  been  saved 
by  my  exertions  !  Looking  round  this  country,  and 
reflecting  upon  its  state,  is  enough  to  overwhelm  the 
mind  of  a  minister  or  missionary.  When  once  my 
mouth  is  opened,  how  shall  I  ever  dare  to  be  silent! 
Employed  as  yesterday.  At  night  met  some  boatmen 
on  the  bank,  and  a  Fakir  with  them;  I  talked  a  good 
deal,  and  some  things  they  understood.  The  Fakir's 
words  I  could  scarcely  understand.  As  he  said  he 
could  read,  and  promised  to  read  a  Testament,  I  gave 
him  one,  and  several  tracts." 

Nov.  14. — "  Employed  in  writing  out  the  parables. 
Walked  through  a  poor  village  in  the  evening,  where 
there  were  none  but  women  and  children,  who  all  ran 
away  when  they  saw  me,  except  one  poor  old  woman, 
who  was  ill,  and  begged.  Though  she  spoke  clearly 
enough,  I  could  scarcely  understand  one  of  her  words, 
so  that  I  have  quite  a  new  language  to  learn.  When 
she  received  half  a  rupee  she  was  mute  with  astonish- 
ment for  a  time,  and  at  last  said,  Chula,  (good.)  The 
name  of  the  place  was  Nuckanpour." 

Nov.  15.—"  Morning  spent  on  the  parables.  After 
wards  with  the  Moonshee,  correcting  Acts  4.  The 
boat  stopping  in  the  afternoon  a  short  time,  I  went 
into  a  village;  and  finding  a  genteel  looking  Hindoo 
smoking  his  hookah,  I  sat  down  with  him,  and  a  few 


HENRY   I.IARTYxN.  193 

people  gathered  round.  But  the  old  man,  who  had  been 
a  soldier,  talked  so  incessantly  about  his  campaigns, 
that  I  found  no  good  would  come  if  I  did  not  inter- 
rupt him,  and  introduce  religion.  From  having  been 
much  with  the  English,  he  had  more  enlarged  views 
than  most  of  the  Hindoos,  and  talked  like  a  Mussul- 
man— that  all  were  of  one  cast  before  God — that  there 
would  be  a  day  of  judgment,  and  that  there  was  only 
one  God.  When  I  endeavored  to  make  him  compre- 
hend the  nature  of  the  death  of  Christ,  he  merely  said, 
'Ah!  that  is  your  shaster,' — so  never  was  any  effort 
more  ineffectual.  In  the  bazaar  I  stood  and  asked  if 
any  one  could  read  Nagree.  There  was  only  one  who 
could,  and  he  took  a  tract:  about  ten  others  were  ta- 
ken also.  I  suffered  greatly  from  dejection  most  of  the 
evening.  But  the  Lord  graciously  came  in  the  time  of 
need  and  supported  my  sinking  faith.  'The  Lord 
reigneth,'  and  the  people  shall '  remember  and  turn  to 
the  Lord.' " 

Nov.  16. — Sunday.  "  Generally  in  a  solemn,  tender 
spirit.  Spent  the  first  part  of  the  day  in  reading  the 
Scriptures  and  prayer.  Many  a  word  was  brought 
home  with  abundance  of  consolation  to  my  soul. 
'Though  I  walk  through  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of 
death,  I  will  fear  no  evil,  for  thou  art  with  me,  thy 
rod  and  thy  staff  they  comfort  me.'  When  do  the 
sheep  find  the  happiness  of  having  a  shepherd  so  much 
as  when  they  are  walking  through  a  dark  shadow  ? 
While  Jesus  lets  me  see  his  •'  rod  and  staff/  I  am  com- 
forted. In  the  afternoon  read  some  French  sermons. 
Walked  in  the  evening  to  a  poor  village,  where  I  only 
produced  terror.  One  man,  whom  I  at  last  met,  told 
17 


194  MEMOIR   Of* 

me  that  none  could  read  in  the  village  but  a  Brahmin ; 
and  he  was  gone  to  another  town.  I  left  two  tracts 
for  him,  and  told  the  man  to  be  sure  to  give  them  to 
him  when  he  came  back.  The  man  was  in  no  small 
alarm  at  this,  but  asked  only  where  I  got  them.  Dis- 
tressed at  times,  I  fear  that  I  am  not  acting  faithfully 
in  warning  those  around  me.  But  the  shortest  way  to 
peace  is,  to  pray  for  a  broken  heart  and  submissive 
spirit :  by  these  means  my  mind  brightened  up.  At 
night,  was  deeply  affected  about  my  two  dear  sisters ; 
and  felt  the  bowels  of  affection  yearn  over  them  ;  who 
knows  what  they  have  been  suffering  all  this  while  ? 
For  my  poor  elder  sister,  I  interceded  that  she  might 
be  saved." 

Nov.  17. — "  Early  this  morning  they  set  me  ashore 
to  see  a  hot  spring.  A  great  number  of  Brahmins  and 
Fakirs  were  there.  Not  being  able  to  understand 
them,  I  gave  away  tracts.  Many  followed  me  to  the 
budgerow,  where  I  gave  away  more  tracts  and  some 
Testaments.  Arrived  at  Monghir  about  noon.  In  the 
evening  some  came  to  me  for  books,  and  among  them 
those  who  had  traveled  from  the  spring,  having 
heard  the  report  that  I  was  giving  away  copies  of  the 
Ramayuna.  They  would  not  believe  me  when  I  told 
them  that  it  was  not  the  Ramayuna;  I  gave  them  six 
or  eight  more.  In  the  morning  tried  to  translate  with 
the  Moonshee  one  of  the  Nagree  papers." 

Nov.  18. — "A  man  followed  the  budgerow  along  the 
walls  of  the  fort,  and  finding  an  opportunity,  got  on 
board  with  another,  begging  for  a  book,  not  believ- 
ing but  that  it  was  the  Ramayuna.  As  I  hesitated, 
having  given  as  many  as  I  could  spare  for  one  place, 


HENRY    MARTYN.  195 

he  prostrated  himself  to  the  earth,  and  placed  his  fore- 
head in  the  dust;  at  which  I  felt  an  indescribable 
horror.  I  gave  them  each  a  Testament.  Employed  in 
writing  out  the  parables,  and  translating.  In  the 
evening  met  with  two  villagers,  and  finding  they  could 
read,  I  brought  them  to  the  boat,  and  gave  them  each 
a  Testament,  and  some  tracts." 

Nov.  19.— "  Employed  in  translating  the  parables 
all  the  day.  Finished  the  first  book  of  the  Ramayuna. 
Came-to  at  a  desert  place  on  the  north  side  ;  where,  in 
my  walk,  I  met  with  a  man  with  whom  I  conversed  ; 
but  we  could  understand  each  other  but  very  little. 
To  a  boy  with  him,  who  could  read,  I  gave  some  tracts. 
Felt  extraordinarily  wearied  with  my  labor  these  two 
or  three  last  days,  and  should  have  been  glad  of  some 
refreshing  conversation." 

Nov.  20-22.—"  Employments  the  same,  through- 
out these  three  days:  finished  the  sixth  of  Acts 
Stopped  each  night  at  sand  banks." 

Nov.  23. — Sunday.  "  Spent  the  day  comfortably 
and  solemnly,  in  reading  and  prayer ;  but  my  con- 
science was  grievously  wounded  in  the  evening,  at 
the  recollection  of  having  omitted  opportunities  of 
leaving  the  word  of  God  at  a  place.  Yet  will  I  adore 
the  blessed  Spirit,  that  he  departs  not,  nor  suffers  my 
conscience  to  be  benumbed.  What  a  wretched  life 
shall  I  lead,  if  I  do  not  exert  myself,  from  morning  to 
night,  in  a  place  where,  through  whole  territories,  I 
seem  to  be  the  only  light." 

Nov.  24. — "  Employed  in  writing  on  a  parable  all 
day.  In  my  evening  walk,  finding  an  old  Brahmin 
at  work  in  the  fields,  I  began  to  ask  him  { how  he,  a 


190  MEMOIR   OF 

Brahmin,  was  obliged  to  work?'  He  concluded  his 
answer  by  saying  that  we  English  had  robbed  them  of 
their  country.  He  was,  for  a  considerable  time,  very 
violent ;  but  another  Brahmin,  in  some  fright,  coming 
up,  made  all  up,  as  he  thought,  by  speaking  of  the 
brave  English,  &c.  When  I  began  to  talk  to  them  of 
the  day  of  judgment,  heaven  and  hell,  they  seemed 
surprised  and  pleased,  and  gave  great  attention.  But 
I  have  never  had  reason  to  believe  that  the  attention 
of  the  people  to  any  thing  I  have  to  say  is  more  than 
respect  for  a  '  Sahib.5  They  never  ask  a  question  about 
it,  and  probably  do  not  understand  one  half,  even  when 
my  sentences  are  correct.  The  disaffection  of  the  peo- 
ple gave  rise,  afterwards,  to  many  reflections  in  my 
mind  on  what  may  be  my  future  sufferings  in  this 
country  ;  but  in  proportion  to  the  apparent  causes  of 
depression  did  my  faith  and  triumph  in  the  Lord 
seem  to  rise.  Come  what  will — let  me  only  be  found 
in  the  path  of  duty,  and  nothing  shall  be  wrong.  Be 
my  sufferings  what  they  may,  they  cannot  equal  those 
of  my  Lord,  nor  probably  even  those  of  the  Apostles 
and  early  martyrs.  They,  '  through  faith,  subdued 
kingdoms,  wrought  righteousness,  out  of  weakness 
were  made  strong,'  &c.  and  why  shall  not  I  hope  that 
I  too,  who  am  indeed  '  like  one  born  out  of  due  time,' 
shall  receive  strength  according  to  my  day  ?" 

Nov.  25.—"  Reached  Patna  this  afternoon ;  walked 
about  this  scene  of  my  future  ministry  with  a  spirit 
almost  overwhelmed  at  the  sight  of  the  immense  mul- 
titudes. There  was  a  Rajah  sitting  at  the  door  of  his 
tent,  by  the  water-side.  Came  to  the  budgerow  at  night 
Jl  with  a  headache,  and  still  more  weak  and  feeble  in 
faith.  Pain  in  the  head  continued  acute  all  night." 


HENRY  MARTYN.  197 

Nov.  26. — "  The  multitudes  at  the  water-side  prodi- 
gious. Arrived  in  the  afternoon  at  Dinapore ;  but  did 
not  go  on  shore.  Employed  in  translating  and  writing 
on  the  parables.  My  spirit  this  evening  was  sweetly 
elevated  beyond  the  people  and  the  concerns  of  this 
world,  while  meditating  on  the  words,  \  I  am  the  Al- 
mighty God  :  walk  before  me  and  be  thou  perfect.' " 


CHAPTER   VI. 

STATIONED   AT   DINAPORE — OBSTACLES    ENCOUNTERED — COMMEN- 
CES HIS  MINISTRY — TRANSLATIONS — DISPUTES   WITH   HIS  MOON- 

SHEE    AND    PUNDIT — ARRIVAL    OP   MR.   CORRIE   AT   DINAPORE 

DIFFICULTIES    RESPECTING    THE    SCHOOLS — HAPPINESS   IN   THE 
WORK  OF  TRANSLATION. 

On  reaching  Dinapore,  which,  for  a  considerable 
time,  was  to  be  his  permanent  residence,  Mr.  Martyn's 
immediate  objects  were  three-fold  :  to  establish  native 
schools,  to  attain  such  readiness  in  speaking  Hindoos- 
tanee,  as  might  enable  him  to  preach  in  that  language 
the  Gospel  of  the  grace  of  God.  and  to  prepare  trans- 
lations of  the  Scriptures  and  religious  tracts  for  disper- 
sion. We  have  already  seen  that  the  idea  of  transla- 
ting the  parables,  accompanied  by  some  remarks  upon 
them,  had  occupied  his  mind  during  his  voyage  up  the 
Ganges.  At  Dinapore  he  continued  to  engage  in  this 
employment  with  the  same  earnestness.  Of  Hindoos- 
17* 


198  MEMOIR   OF 

tanee  he  already  knew  enough  to  translate  with  gram- 
matical accuracy ;  and  his  Moonshee  was  at  hand  to 
suggest  the  proper  idiom,  and,  what  in  that  language 
is  so  difficult,  the  just  and  exact  collocation  of  the 
words  in  the  sentences.  The  obstacles  which  he  had 
to  overcome  in  acquiring  the  languages  of  the  country, 
he  represents  as  formidable.  Passing  out  of  Bengal 
into  Bahar,  he  found  that  he  had  to  acquaint  himself 
with  the  Baharree  as  well  as  the  Hindoostanee ;  and 
the  Baharree  had  its  various  dialects.  "  I  am  low- 
spirited,"  he  said  soon  after  reaching  Dinapore,  "  about 
my  work  ;  I  seem  to  be  at  a  stand,  not  knowing  what 
course  to  take."  From  the  Pundit  whom  he  employed 
he  learned — though  the  statement  was  probably  ex- 
aggerated— that  every  four  cos  (miles)  the  language 
changes ;  and  by  the  specimens  he  gave  of  a  sentence 
in  the  dialects  across  the  water  at  Gyah,  and  some 
other  places,  they  appeared  to  differ  so  much,  that  a 
book  in  the  dialect  of  one  district  would  be  unintelli- 
gible to  the  people  of  another.  As  the  best  mode  of  ac- 
quiring a  knowledge  of  the  various  oriental  tongues, 
the  study  of  Sanscrit  was  recommended  to  him  by  his 
Pandit,  and  with  what  spirit  he  labored  in  this  and 
other  pursuits  may  be  seen  from  his  account  of  the 
work  of  a  single  day. 

"  Morning  with  the  Pundit,  occupied  in  Sanscrit. 
In  the  afternoon,  hearing  a  parable  in  the  Bahar  dia- 
lect. Continued  till  late  at  night  writing  on  the  para- 
bles. My  soul  much  impressed  with  the  immeasurable 
importance  of  my  work,  and  the  wickedness  and  cruel- 
ty of  wasting  a  moment,  when  so  many  nations  are,  as 
it  were,  waiting  while  I  do  my  work.    Felt  eager  for 


HENRY    MARTYN.  199 

the  morning  to  come  again,  that  I  might  resume  my 
work." 

The  difficulties  of  various  kinds  which  presented 
themselves  to  Mr.  Martyn,  could  not  fail  of  being  a 
source  of  pain  to  him,  in  proportion  to  his  fervent  anx- 
iety to  benefit  all  around  him.  But  it  was  his  privilege 
and  consolation  to  remember  that  he  was  in  His  hands, 
in  whom  are  "  hid  all  the  treasures  of  wisdom  and 
knowledge,"  and  "  with  whom  all  things  are  possible." 
Had  he  not  sought  and  found  refuge  in  the  omnipo- 
tence of  Christ,  soon  would  he  have  sunk  into  despon- 
dency. To  those  who  have  not  elevated  their  views 
above  the  feeble  efforts  of  human  agency,  the  conver- 
sion of  the  heathen  cannot  but  appear  to  exceed  the 
limits  of  possibility.  Mr.  Martyn,  who  in  England  had 
met  with  many  such  disputers  of  this  world,  found 
that  India  was  by  no  means  destitute  of  them.  A  con- 
versation into  which  he  was  led  with  one  of  these  cha- 
racters, was  painfully  trying  to  him  ;  "  but  in  the  mul- 
titude of  my  troubled  thoughts,"  he  said,  "  I  still  saw 
that  there  is  '  strong  consolation  in  the  hope  set  before 
us.'  Let  me  labor  for  fifty  years,  midst  scorn,  and  with- 
out seeing  one  soul  converted — still  it  shall  not  be 
worse  for  my  soul  in  eternity,  nor  even  worse  for  it  in 
time.  '  Though  the  heathen  rage,'  and  the  English 
people  '  imagine  a  vain  thing,'  the  Lord  Jesus,  who 
controls  all  events,  is  my  friend,  my  master,  my  God, 
my  all.  On  this  Rock  of  ages,  on  which  I  feel  my  foot 
to  rest,  'my  head  is  lifted  up  above  all  mine  enemies 
round  about  me,'  and  I  sing,  '  yea,  I  will  sing  praises 
unto  the  Lord.' " 

From  much  of  the  society  Mr.  Martyn  found  at  Dina- 


200  MEMOIR   OF 

pore,  he  received  more  discomfort  than  disappoint- 
ment; some  there  were,  indeed,  who  treated  him  from 
the  first  with  the  utmost  kindness,  who  afterwards  be- 
came his  joy,  and  who  one  day  will  assuredly  be  his 
crown  of  rejoicing.  But  before  that  happy  change  in 
them  was  effected  by  the  power  of  divine  grace,  he 
found  none  to  whom  he  could  fully  and  freely  unbo- 
som himself.  With  what  gladness  and  thankfulness, 
therefore,  did  he  welcome  the  arrival  of  letters  from 
his  beloved  Christian  friends  at  Calcutta  and  in  Eng- 
land. He  speaks  of  being  exceedingly  comforted,  on 
returning  home  after  a  melancholy  walk,  and  finding 
letters  from  Mr.  Brown  and  Mr.  Corrie,  and  from  two 
of  his  friends  in  England,  who  were  as  dear  to  him  as 
he  was  to  them.  "  How  sweet,"  he  said,  after  peru- 
sing these  memorials  of  affection,  "  are  the  delights  of 
Christian  friendship  ;  and  what  must  heaven  be,  where 
there  are  none  but  humble,  kind,  and  holy  children  of 
God.  Such  a  society  would  of  itself  be  a  heaven  to  me, 
after  what  I  feel  at  the  ways  of  worldly  people  here." 
Nor  was  it  only  by  the  neglect,  levity,  and  profaneness 
of  many  of  his  countrymen,  where  he  was  stationed, 
that  Mr.  Martyn  was  pained  and  grieved :  his  meek 
and  tender  spirit  was  hurt  likewise  at  the  manner  in 
which  he  conceived  himself  to  be  regarded  by  the  na- 
tives :  by  the  anger  and  contempt  with  which  multi- 
tudes of  them  eyed  him  in  his  palanquin  at  Patna,  he 
was  particularly  affected  ;  observing,  "  Here  every  na- 
tive I  meet  is  an  enemy  to  me  because  I  am  an  English- 
man. England  appears  almost  a  heaven  upon  earth, 
because  there  one  is  not  viewed  as  an  unjust  intruder. 
But  0  the  heaven  of  my  God,  the  '  general  assembly 


HENRY    MARTYN-  201 

of  the  first-born,  the  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect,' 
and  Jesus !  O  let  me,  for  a  little  moment,  labor  and 
suffer  reproach." 

The  observations  he  was  compelled  to  hear  from 
his  Moonshee  and  Pundit,  often  present  a  curious  and 
affecting  display  of  Pagan  and  Mohammedan  igno- 
rance.* "  Upon  showing,"  he  writes,  "  the  Moonshee 
the  first  part  of  John,  3,  he  instantly  caught  at  those 
words  of  our  Lord,  in  which  he  first  describes  himself  as 
having  comedown  from  heaven,  and  then  calls  himself 
'the  Son  of  Man  which  is  in  heaven.'  He  said  that 
this  was  what  the  philosophers  called  '  nickal,'  or  im- 
possible, even  for  God,  to  make  a  thing  to  be  in  two 
different  places  at  the  same  time.  I  explained  to  him, 
as  soon  as  his  heat  was  a  little  subsided,  that  the  diffi- 
culty was  not  so  much  in  conceiving  how  the  Son  of 
Man  could  be  at  the  same  time  in  two  different  places, 
as  in  comprehending  that  union  of  the  two  natures  in 
him,  which  made  this  possible.  I  told  him  that  I  could 
not  explain  this  union  ;  but  showed  him  the  design  and 
wisdom  of  God  in  effecting  our  redemption  by  this 
method.  I  was  much  at  a  loss  for  words,  but  I  believe 
that  he  collected  my  meaning,  and  received  some  in- 
formation which  he  did  not  possess  before." 

In  another  place  he  says,  "  On  reading  some  parts 

*  Many  of  these  observations,  as  well  as  those  made  by  the 
Persians  with  whom  Mr.  Martyn  entered  into  religious  discus- 
sion, cannot  fail  of  giving  pain  to  a  Christian  heart;  but  mis- 
sionaries ought  to  be  apprised  of  the  nature  of  those  weapons 
with  which  Christianity  is  assailed  by  infidels.  For  their  sakes 
much  is  inserted  which  otherwise  had  doubtless  far  better 
have  been  omitted. 


202  MEMOIR    OF 

of  the  epistles  of  St.  John  to  my  Moonshee,  he  seemed 
to  view  them  with  great  contempt :  so  far  above  the 
wisdom  of  the  world  is  their  divine  simplicity  !  The 
Moonshee  told  me,  at  night,  that  when  the  Pundit  came 
to  the  part  about  the  angels  '  separating  the  evil  from 
the  good,'  he  said,  with  some  surprise,  that  there  was 
no  such  thing  in  his  Shaster ;  but  that,  at  the  end  of  the 
world,  the  sun  would  come  so  near,  as  first  to  burn  all 
the  men,  then  the  mountains,  then  the  debtas  (inferior 
gods,)  then  the  waters :  then  God,  reducing  himself  to 
the  size  of  a  thumb-nail,  would  swim  on  the  leaf  of  a 
peepul  tree." 

The  commencement  of  Mr.  Martyn's  ministry 
amongst  the  Europeans  of  Dinapore,  was  not  of  such 
a  kind  as  either  to  gratify  or  encourage  him.  At  first 
he  read  prayers  to  the  soldiers  at  the  barracks  from 
the  drum-head,  and  as  there  were  no  seats  provided, 
was  desired  to  omit  his  sermon. 

Arrangements  being  afterwards  made  for  the  per- 
formance of  divine  service  with  somewhat  of  that  or- 
der and  decency  which  becomes  its  celebration,  the 
resident  families  at  Dinapore  assembled  on  the  Sab- 
bath and  attended  Mr.  Martyn's  ministry.  By  many 
of  these  offence  was  taken  at  his  not  reading  to  them 
a  written  sermon,  and  it  was  intimated  to  him,  by  let- 
ter, that  it  was  their  wish  that  he  should  desist  from 
extempore  preaching.  At  such  an  interference  on  the 
part  of  his  flock  he  confesses  that  he  was  at  first  roused 
into  anger  and  displeasure ;  he  could  not  but  think 
that  the  people  committed  to  his  charge  had  forgotten 
the  relation  which  subsisted  between  him  and  them, 
in  dictating  to  him  the  mode  in  which  they  thought 


HENRY   MARTYN.  203 

proper  to  be  addressed :  on  mature  reflection,  however, 
he  resolved  upon  compliance,  for  the  sake  of  concilia- 
tion ;  saying  that  "  he  would  give  them  a  folio  sermon- 
book,  if  they  would  receive  the  word  of  God  on  that 
account."' 

Whilst  the  flock  at  Dinapore  were  thus  overstepping 
the  limits  of  respect  and  propriety,  Mr.  Marty n  was 
informed  that  one  of  his  brethren  at  Calcutta  was  about 
to  transgress  the  rules  of  Christian  charity  very  griev- 
ously, by  publishing  one  of  those  pulpit  invectives 
which  had  been  fulminated  against  him  on  his  arrival 
at  Calcutta.  Such  an  act  in  a  brother  chaplain  would, 
in  some  minds,  have  excited  vindictive  feelings.  In  his; 
the  chief  excitement  was  a  discomposure,  arising  from 
an  apprehension  that  he  might  be  compelled  to  under- 
take a  public  refutation  of  this  attack  on  his  doctrine  ; 
an  undertaking  which  would  consume  much  of  that 
precious  time  which  he  wished  wholly  to  devote  to  his 
missionary  work. 

Thus  terminated  the  >Tear  1806,  on  the  last  day  of 
which  Mr.  Martyn  appears  to  have  been  much  engag- 
ed in  prayer  and  profitable  meditation  on  the  lapse  of 


tion  of  those  awful  things  which  cannot  but  be  sug- 
gested to  a  reflecting  mind  by  a  year  irrecoverably  past. 

On  the  first  day  of  the  year  1807,  Mr.  Martyn  was 
led  to  the  following  reflection,  from  whence  we  per- 
ceive that  it  is  the  work  of  the  selfsame  Spirit  to  con- 
vince the  soul  of  sin,  to  constrain  it  to  unreserved  obe- 
dience, and  to  fill  it  with  unutterable  consolatiou. 


204  MEMOIR   OP 

"  Seven  years  have  passed  away  since  I  was  first 
called  of  God.  Before  the  conclusion  of  another  seven 
years,  how  probable  it  is  that  these  hands  will  have 
mouldered  into  dust !  But  be  it  so ;  my  soul,  through 
grace,  hath  received  the  assurance  of  eternal  life,  and 
I  see  the  days  of  my  pilgrimage  shortening  without  a 
wish  to  add  to  their  number.  But  O  may  I  be  stirred 
up  to  a  faithful  discharge  of  my  high  and  awful  work  ; 
and  laying  aside,  as  much  as  may  be,  all  carnal  cares 
and  studies,  may  I  give  myself  to  this  '  one  thing.' 
The  last  has  been  a  year  to  be  remembered  by  me,  be- 
cause the  Lord  has  brought  me  safely  to  India,  and 
permitted  me  to  begin,  in  one  sense,  my  missionary 
work.  My  trials  in  it  have  been  very  few  ;  every  thing 
has  turned  out  better  than  I  expected ;  loving  kindness 
and  tender  mercies  have  attended  me  at  every  step  : 
therefore  here  will  I  sing  his  praise.  I  have  been  an 
unprofitable  servant,  but  the  Lord  hath  not  cut  me  off: 
I  have  been  wayward  and  perverse,  yet  he  has  brought 
me  further  on  the  way  to  Zion  :  here,  then,  with  seven- 
fold gratitude  and  affection,  would  I  stop  and  devote 
myself  to  the  blissful  service  of  my  adorable  Lord. 
May  he  continue  his  patience,  his  grace,  his  direction, 
his  spiritual  influences,  and  I  shall  at  last  surely  come 
off  conqueror  !  May  he  speedily  open  my  mouth  to 
make  known  the  mysteries  of  the  Gospel,  and  in  great 
mercy  grant  that  the  heathen  may  receive  it  and  live  !" 

The  commencement  of  the  new  year  was  devoted 
by  Mr.  Martyn  to  the  work  which  was  still  before  him, 
of  translating  and  commenting  on  the  parables,  as  well 
as  to  the  attainment  of  the  Sanscrit.  Sustained  by  the 
hope  of  future  usefulness,  he  experienced  much  plea- 


HENRY    MARTYN.  205 

cure,  not  only  in  urging  his  toilsome  way  through  the 
rudiments  of  that  language,  but  even  when  he  appear- 
ed, notwithstanding  every  exertion,  to  be  making  no 
sensible  progress  in  it.  "  Employed,"  he  says,  one  day 
in  the  month  of  January,  1807,  "  morning  and  even- 
ing in  Sanscrit  grammar,  and  in  the  afternoon  in  trans- 
lating the  parables.  Though  I  scarcely  stirred  in  Sans- 
crit, yet,  by  keeping  myself  steady  to  the  work,  I  had 
much  comfort  in  my  soul,  and  this  day,  like  all  others, 
fled  swiftly  away." 

To  these  employments  he  added  another  also,  the 
translation  into  Hindoostanee  of  those  parts  of  the 
Book  of  Common  Prayer  which  are  most  frequently 
used.  This  project  when  it  first  occurred  to  him,  so 
arrested  his  mind  that  he  instantly  began  to  translate, 
and  proceeded  as  far  as  the  end  of  the  Te  Deum  :  fear- 
ing, however,  as  it  was  the  Sabbath,  that  such  an  em- 
ployment might  not  be  in  perfect  harmony  with  the 
sacred  solemnity  of  that  day,  inasmuch  as  it  was  not 
strictly  of  a  devotional  kind,  he  desisted  from  making 
further  progress  ;  so  deep  was  his  reverence  for  a  di- 
vine appointment;  so  jealous  his  fear  of  offending  his 
God!  After  passing,  therefore,  the  remainder  of  the 
day  in  reading  the  Holy  Scriptures,  and  singing  praises 
to  the  Lord,  he  closed  it  with  these  reflections — "  O 
how  shall  I  sufficiently  praise  my  God,  that  here,  in 
this  solitude,  with  people  enough,  indeed,  but  without 
a  saint,  I  yet  feel  fellowship  with  all  those  who,  in 
every  place,  call  on  the  name  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
I  see  myself  traveling  on  with  them,  and  I  hope  I  shall 
worship  with  them  in  his  courts  above  !" 

These  peculiar  studies,  as  well  as  the  conversations 
18 


206  MEMOIR   OP 

which  Mr.  Martyn  frequently  had  with  the  natives,  (for 
which  purpose  he  went  about  without  his  palanquin,) 
were  regarded  by  many  with  a  mixture  of  jealousy, 
fear,  and  contempt.  Did  he  so  much  as  speak  to  a  na- 
tive— it  was  enough  to  excite  wonder  and  alarm :  nor 
is  this  a  matter  of  surprise,  when  we  consider  that  all 
love  for  the  soul,  and  all  fear  of  God,  are  as  certainly 
absent  and  inoperative  in  worldly  characters,  as  the 
love  of  pleasure  and  the  fear  of  man  are  present  and 
predominant.  And  if,  in  ordinary  circumstances,  such 
a  line  of  conduct  as  Mr.  Martyn  adopted  in  India,  was 
calculated  to  awaken  the  apprehensions  of  those  who 
lived  chiefly  for  this  world,  at  this  particular  junc- 
ture it  was  more  likely  to  be  attended  with  these  ef- 
fects. For  just  at  this  time  the  settlement  was  thrown 
into  some  consternation  by  hearing  of  the  sudden  ar- 
rival of  twelve  thousand  Mahrattas  in  the  neighbor- 
hood :  of  which  event  the  alarmists  at  Dinapore  might 
be  ready  to  take  advantage,  and  endeavor,  in  some 
way  or  other,  to  connect  it  with  Mr.  Martyn's  plans  for 
the  conversion  of  the  natives  to  Christianity.  These 
troops,  however,  had  other  objects  than  those  which 
the  wakeful  fears  of  some  might  have  assigned  them  ; 
their  destination  being  simply  to  attend  one  of  their 
chiefs  on  a  pilgrimage  to  Benares. 

Religious  discussions  between  Mr.  Martyn,  his 
Moonshee,  and  Pundit,  were  almost  of  daily  occur- 
rence, and  as  they  serve  to  throw  some  light  on  his 
character,  as  well  as  on  that  of  those  with  whom  a 
missionary  must  be  conversant  in  India,  it  may  be  use- 
ful again  to  refer  to  what  his  journals  contain  on  this 
head. 


tIEXRY    MAETYN.  207 

"  Long  disputes  with  the  Moonshe  on  the  enjoy- 
ments of  heaven ;  I  felt  some  mortification  at  not 
having  a  command  of  language.  There  are  a  variety 
of  lesser  arguments,  the  force  of  which  consists  in 
their  being  brought  together  in  rapid  succession  in 
conversation,  which  nothing  but  a  command  of  words 
can  enable  one  to  effect.  However,  I  was  enabled  to 
tell  the  Moonshee  one  thing ;  that  my  chief  enjoyment, 
even  now  on  earth,  was  the  enjoyment  of  God's  pre- 
sence, and  a  growing  conformity  to  him;  and  there- 
fore, I  asked,  what  motives  could  the  promise  of 
houris,  ghilmans,  green  meadows,  and  eating  and 
drinking  in  paradise  afford  me  ?  My  soul  sweetly  bless- 
ed the  Lord  in  secret,  that  this  testimony  was  true; 
and  O  what  a  change  must  have  been  wrought  in  me  !" 

Jan.  16. — "Employed  on  the  Sanscrit;  in  the  after- 
noon collecting  idiomatic  phrases  for  the  parables. 
Finished  the  first  Epistle  of  St.  John  with  the  Moon- 
shee. I  asked  him  what  he  thought  of  those  passages 
which  so  strongly  express  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity, 
and  of  the  divinity  of  Christ?  he  said  he  never  would 
believe  it,  because  the  Koran  declared  it  to  be  sinful  to 
say  that  God  had  any  son.  I  told  him  that  he  ought  to 
pray  that  God  would  teach  him  what  the  truth  really 
is.  He  said  he  had  no  occasion  to  pray  on  this  subject, 
as  the  word  of  God  was  express.  I  asked  him  whe- 
ther some  doubt  ought  not  to  arise  in  his  mind  whe- 
ther the  Koran  is  the  word  of  God.  He  grew  angry  ; 
and  I  felt  hurt  and  vexed.  I  should  have  done  bettei 
to  have  left  the  words  of  the  chapter  with  him,  with- 
out saying  any  thing.  I  went  also  too  far  with  the 
Pundit,  in  arguing  against  his  superstition ;  for  he  also 


208  MEMOIR   OF 

grew  angry.  If  any  qualification  seems  necessary  to 
a  missionary  in  India,  it  is  wisdom,  operating  in  the 
regulation  of  the  temper,  and  the  due  improvement  of 
opportunities." 

"  Dictating  to-day  the  explanation  of  a  parable  to 
the  Moonshee,  I  had  occasion  to  give  the  proofs  of  the 
corruption  of  human  nature;  and  drew  the  conclusion 
that  hence,  till  our  hearts  are  changed,  we  are  abomi- 
nable in  the  sight  of  God  ;  and  our  own  works,  howe- 
ver useful  to  men,  are  worthless  in  his  sight.  I  think  I 
never  saw  such  a  striking  instance  of  the  truth  grap- 
pling with  human  nature ;  he  seemed  like  a  fish  when 
-he  first  finds  that  the  hook  has  hold  of  him;  he  was 
in  a  dreadful  rage,  and  endeavored  to  escape  from  the 
convictions  these  truths  produced ;  but  seemingly  in 
vain.  At  last,  recovering  himself,  he  said  he  had  a 
question  to  ask ;  which  was — what  would  become  of 
children,  if  the  dispositions  they  were  born  with  ren- 
dered them  odious  in  the  sight  of  God  ?  I  gave  the  best 
answer  I  could ;  but  he  considered  it  nothing,  because 
founded  on  Scripture ;  and  said,  with  great  contempt, 
that  this  was  a  mere  matter  of  faith,  the  same  sort  of 
thing  as  when  the  Hindoos  believed  the  nonsense  of 
their  Shasters." 

How  delightful  must  it  have  been  to  Mr.  Martyn  to 
turn,  as  he  did  at  this  time,  from  controversies  with 
these  unbelievers,  to  the  enjoyment  of  Christian  con- 
verse and  communion  with  his  beloved  friend  and 
brother,  Mr.  Corrie;  who,  towards  the  end  of  January, 
visited  him,  on  his  way  to  his  station  at  Chunar.  Ma- 
ny a  happy  hour  did  these  servants  of  Jesus  Christ 
then  pass  in  fellowship  with  one  another ;  for  truly 


HENRY    MARTYN.  209 

their  fellowship  was  with  the  Father,  and  with  his 
Son  Jesus  Christ.  With  one  accord  they  often  fell  at 
the  feet  of  their  Redeemer  in  supplication  and  thanks- 
giving ;  they  read  his  holy  word ;  they  rejoiced  to- 
gether in  its  promises ;  they  spake  to  one  another  of 
the  glory  of  Christ's  kingdom  ;  and  talked  of  his  pow- 
er :  and  they  parted,  sorrowfully  indeed,  yet  earnestly 
desiring  each  to  be  employed  in  his  proper  work. 
"Our  communion,"  said  Mr.  Martyn,  respecting  this 
interview,  "has  been  refreshing,  at  least  to  me;  and 
the  Lord  has  sanctified  our  meeting  by  his  presence 
and  his  gracious  influences." 

With  respect  to  the  Europeans  amongst  whom  Mr. 
Martyn  ministered,  he  had  much  reason  to  be  gratified 
with  the  reception  he  met  with  from  those  whom  he 
attended  in  the  hospital ;  but  he  had  equal  cause  to  be 
dissatisfied  and  grieved  with  the  behavior  which  he 
witnessed,  too  generally,  in  the  houses  of  the  wealthy. 
Can  we  be  surprised,  therefore,  that  he  should  prefer, 
as  he  did,  the  house  of  mourning  to  that  of  feasting  ? 
In  vain  did  he  endeavor,  amongst  the  upper  ranks,  to 
introduce  religious  topics  in  conversation.  "  I  spoke," 
he  said,  after  visiting  some  of  these,  "  several  times 
about  religion  to  them  ;  but  the  manner  in  which  it 
was  received  damped  all  further  attempt.  '  Who  hath 
believed  our  report,  and  to  whom  is  the  arm  of  the  Lord 
revealed?'  How  awful  does  the  thought  sometimes 
appear  to  me,  that  almost  the  whole  world  are  united 
against  God  and  his  Christ.  O  thou  injured  Sovereign  ! 
0  Lord,  how  long  will  it  be  ere  thou  plead  thine  own 
cause,  and  make  bare  thine  arm  in  the  sight  of  the 
nations  ?  Let  me  in  patience  possess  my  soul ;  and 
18* 


210  MEMOIR   OF 

though  iniquity  abound,  may  I  never  wax  cold,  but  be 
brought  safely  through  all  this  darkness  and  danger 
to  a  happier  world !  To  thousands  my  word  will,  per- 
haps, prove  a  '  savor  of  death  unto  death.'  Let  me, 
nevertheless,  go  on  steadily  in  the  path  which  the 
Lord  hath  marked  out ;  perhaps  some  poor  soul  may 
be  converted  by  what  he  shall  hear  from  me ;  or,  it 
not.  I  shall  have  done  my  work."  In  such  society,  as 
might  be  expected,  he  found  his  desires  and  endeavors 
for  the  conversion  of  the  heathen  invariably  discoun- 
tenanced and  opposed.  Having,  on  one  occasion,  refer- 
red to  the  Company's  charter,  as  not  only  permitting, 
but  even  enjoining  the  communication  of  religious  in- 
struction to  the  natives,  coldness  and  distance,  on  the 
part  of  those  he  was  visiting,  were  the  immediate  con- 
sequences of  his  observations.  But  his  "  soul  could 
rejoice  in  God,  that  if  men  were  unkind,  it  was  for 
Christ's  sake ;  and  he  felt  determined  to  go  on  with 
vigor,  though  the  whole  world  of  wretched  men 
should  oppose." 

With  respect  to  the  conversion  of  the  natives  to  the 
nominal  profession  of  Christianity,  in  Mr.  Martyn's 
opinion,  the  difficulty  was  by  no  means  great.  He  was 
surprised  at  the  laxity  of  principle  which  seemed  to 
prevail  among  them,  and  could  well  perceive  that  the 
idea  of  embracing  the  religion  of  the  English  was  very 
pleasant  to  the  Pundit,  and  to  other  Hindoos.  But  he 
did  not  fail  to  explain  to  them,  "  that  it  was  no  object 
of  his  to  make  them  '  Feringees,'  in  the  sense  in  which 
they  understood  it ;  and  assured  them  that  if  all  the 
Brahmins  and  Rajahs  of  the  country  should  offer  them- 


HENRY   MARTYN.  211 

them,  except  he  believed  that  they  repented,  and  would 
renounce  the  world." 

With  the  condition  of  the  natives,  in  a  moral  point 
of  view,  Mr.  Martyn  had  but  too  much  reason  to  be 
shocked  and  affected ;  and  he  was  sometimes  called 
upon  to  interfere,  and  that  with  some  personal  hazard, 
to  prevent  acts  of  the  greatest  turpitude  and  injustice 
among  them.  "  My  Surdar,"  he  says,  "  was  imprison- 
ed by  an  unjust  Cotwal.  I  sent  word  for  him  to  give 
nothing  for  his  release,  and  not  to  fear :  the  Cotwal 
was  afraid,  and  let  the  man  go,  and  ceased  his  claim 
upon  his  relations.  This  has  been  a  long  and  iniqui- 
tous business.  I  felt  quite  thankful  that  the  Lord  had 
thus  shown  himself  the  father  of  the  fatherless.  I  could 
hardly  believe  such  barefaced  oppression.  How  much 
has  the  Gospel  done  in  producing  sentiments  of  jus- 
tice and  equity  in  all  ranks  of  people  in  Christendom  ! 
The  poor  people  here  seem  unable  to  comprehend  it." 
" ,"  he  adds,  "  developed  a  system  of  villany  car- 
ried on  in  the  country,  through  the  supineness  of , 

which  astonished  and  grieved  me  beyond  measure.    I 

determined  to  go  to myself,  and  tell  him  what  I 

had  heard  ;  but  thought  it  prudent  to  defer  it  till  after 
my  distant  journey  to  Buxar ;  in  which  the  Cotwal, 
who  is  the  head  of  a  gang  of  robbers,  with  which 
the  whole  country  is  swarming,  might  easily  procure 
my  assassination,  if,  by  getting  him  turned  out,  I 
should  provoke  him.  I  thought  it,  however,  a  duty  I 
owe  to  God,  to  him,  to  the  poor  oppressed  natives,  and 
to  my  country,  to  exert  myself  in  this  business;  and 
1  felt  authorised  to  risk  my  life." 

The  journey  to  Buxar— during  which  Mr.  Martyn 


212  MEMOIR   OP 

feared  that,  without  prudence,  he  might  possibly  be- 
come a  victim  to  the  sudden  revenge  of  one  whose 
daily  oppressions  caused  many  to  weep  without  a 
comforter — was  commenced  on  the  16th  of  February ; 
and  it  may  surprise  those  who  are  not  aware  of  the 
very  slender  proportion  of  chaplains  then  allotted  to 
the  British  empire  in  India,  to  be  informed  that  he 
traveled  seventy  miles  for  the  purpose  of  performing 
part  of  his  pastoral  duty  in  the  celebration  of  a  mar- 
riage. But  before  we  attend  him  on  this  journey,  let 
us  notice  his  abstraction  from  the  world ;  his  sacred 
peace  ;  his  holy  aspirations ;  his  deep  contrition  at 
this  period  :  "  I  felt  more  entirely  withdrawn  from  the 
world  than  for  a  long  time  past :  what  a  dark  atheis- 
tical state  do  I  generally  live  in  !  Alas  !  that  this  crea- 
tion should  so  engross  my  mind,  and  the  Author  of  it 
be  so  slightly  and  coldly  regarded.  I  found  myself,  at 
this  time,  truly  a  stranger  and  a  pilgrim  in  the  world  ; 
and  I  did  suppose  that  not  a  wish  remained  for  any 
thing  here.  The  experience  of  my  heart  was  delight- 
ful. I  enjoyed  a  peace  that  passeth  all  understanding; 
no  desire  remained,  but  that  this  peace  might  be  con- 
firmed and  increased.  O  why  should  any  thing  draw 
away  my  attention,  whilst  Thou  art  ever  near,  and  ever 
accessible,  through  the  Son  of  thy  love  ?  O  why  do  I 
not  always  walk  with  God,  forgetful  of  a  vain  and 
per/ihable  world?  Amazing  patience  !  He  bears  with 
this  faithless,  foolish  heart ;  and  suffers  me  to  come, 
la  Jen  with  sins,  to  receive  new  pardon,  new  grace, 
f  very  day.  Why  does  not  such  love  make  me  hate 
those  sins  which  grieve  him,  and  hide  him  from  my 
sight  ?  I  sometimes  make  vain  resolutions,  in  my  own 


HENRY    MARTY N.  213 

strength,  that  I  will  think  of  God.  Reason,  and  Scrip- 
ture, and  experience,  teach  me  that  such  a  life  is  hap- 
piness and  holiness ;  that,  by  '  beholding  his  glory,'  I 
should  be  changed  '  into  his  image,  from  glory  to 
glory,'  and  be  freed  from  those  anxieties  which  make 
me  unhappy;  and  that,  every  motive  to  duty  being 
strong,  obedience  would  be  easy." 

Of  his  journey  to  Buxar  Mr.  Martyn  has  left  the  fol- 
lowing account.  February  16. — "  Rose  very  early,  and 
accumulated  work  for  my  Moonshee  in  my  absence. 

Made  my  will,  and  left  it  with .  At  half-past  three 

set  off  in  a  palanquin,  and  in  four  hours  reached  the 
Soane.  From  thence  traveled  all  night,  and  at  nine 
next  morning  reached  Buxar.  Being  unable  to  sleep, 
I  arrived  so  sick  and  unwell  as  to  be  convinced  of  the 
unprofitableness  of  traveling  by  night  in  this  country. 
By  reading  some  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Ephesians  be- 
fore it  grew  dark,  and  meditating  upon  it  afterwards, 
my  time  passed  agreeably  ;  and  I  thought  with  delight 
of  the  time  when  I  should  be  able  to  adopt  the  Apos- 
tle's words  with  respect  to  the  heathen  around  me. 
After  breakfast  I  lay  down,  and  endeavored  in  vain  to 
get  sleep.  I  was  much  assisted  in  conversation  with 
the  family  after  dinner,  when  we  conversed  much  on 
religious  subjects;  and  I  had  as  good  an  opportunity 
as  I  could  have  wished,  of  explaining  the  nature  of 
the  Gospel,  and  offering  considerations  for  embracing 
it.  I  retired  to  rest  with  my  heart  full  of  joy  at  being 
thus  assisted  to  pass  the  time  profitably." 

Feb.  18.— "  My  birth-day,  twenty-six.  With  all  the 
numerous  occasions  for  deep  humiliation,  I  have  cause 
for  praise,  in  recollecting  the  promising  openings  and 


214  MEMOIR   OF 

important  changes  which  have  occurred  since  my  last 
birth-day.  The  Lord,  in  love,  make  me  wax  stronger 
and  stronger  !  Walked,  after  breakfast,  to  a  pagoda 
within  the  fort  at  Buxar,  where  a  Brahmin  read  and 
expounded.  It  was  a  scene,  I  suppose,  descriptive  of 
the  ancient  times  of  Hindoo  glory.  The  Brahmin  sat 
under  the  shade  of  a  large  banyan  near  the  pagoda ; 
his  hair  and  beard  were  white,  and  his  head  most 
gracefully  crowned  with  a  garland  of  flowers.  A  ser- 
vant of  the  Rajah  sat  on  his  right  hand,  at  right  an- 
gles ;  and  the  venerable  man  then  sung  the  Sanscrit 
verses  of  the  Huribuns,  and  explained  them  to  him 
without  turning  his  head,  but  only  his  eyes,  which  had 
a  very  dignified  effect.  I  waited  for  the  first  pause  to 
ask  some  questions,  which  led  to  a  long  conversation  ; 
and  this  ended  by  my  attempting  to  give  them  a  his- 
tory of  redemption.  The  Rajah's  servant  was  a  very 
modest,  pensive  man  ;  but  did  not  seem  to  understand 
what  I  said  so  well  as  the  old  Brahmin,  who  expressed 
his  surprise  and  pleasure,  as  well  as  the  other,  at  find- 
ing a  Sahib  who  cared  any  thing  about  religion.  I 
afterwards  sent  a  copy  of  the  Nagree  Gospels  to  the 
servant,  desiring  that  it  might  be  given  to  the  Rajah, 
if  he  would  accept  it." 

Feb.  19. — "  Rose  at  four  and  left  Buxar,  and  at  nine 
in  the  evening  reached  Dinapore  in  safety  ;  blessed  be 
God  !  May  my  life,  thus  preserved  by  unceasing  Provi- 
dence, be  his  willing  sacrifice." 

The  scene  Mr.  Martyn  witnessed  in  the  pagoda  at 
Buxar  was  succeeded,  soon  after  his  return  to  Dina- 
pore, by  another,  which  he  describes  as  still  more  in- 
teresting.    "  A  poor  Jew  from  Babvlon  came  to  me 


HENRY    MARTYX.  215 

oegging.  He  was  tall,  but  stooping  from  weakness, 
and  his  countenance  strongly  marked  with  grief. 
When,  at  his  first  arrival,  I  asked  him  if  he  was  a  Mus- 
sulman, he  said,  in  a  low  and  pensive  tone  of  voice, 
No  !  an  Isralee.  Alas !  poor  people,  still  full  of  the 
fury  of  the  Lord,  the  rebuke  of  thy  God  !  I  felt  all  the 
tenderness  of  a  kinsman  towards  him,  and  found  my- 
self, as  it  were,  at  home  with  an  Asiatic  who  acknow- 
ledged the  God  of  Abraham.  The  passage  in  Isaiah, 
9 :  5,  6,  he  rendered  as  meaning  the  Almighty  God.-' 
The  state  of  the  schools,  five  of  which,  at  his  own 
expense  solely,  Mr.  Martyn  had  instituted  in  and  about 
Dinapore,  now  began  to  occasion  him  some  anxiety. 
An  alarm  was  spread  that  it  was  his  intention  to  seize 
upon  all  the  children,  and,  in  some  compulsory  man- 
ner, make  them  Christians.  The  school  at  Patna,  in 
consequence,  suddenly  sunk  in  number,  from  forty 
children  to  eight;  and  at  Dinapore,  a  spot  of  ground 
which  had  been  fixed  upon  for  the  erection  of  a  school- 
room, could  not  be  obtained  from  the  Zemindar.  In 
this  perplexity  Mr.  Martyn  lost  no  time  in  ascertaining 
what  a  soothing  and  at  the  same  time  sincere  explana- 
tion of  his  sentiments  might  effect,  and  for  this  pur- 
pose he  went  to  Patna.  There,  in  addition  to  his  pre- 
sent perplexities,  he  had  the  severe  pain  of  beholding 
a  servant  of  the  Company,  a  man  advanced  in  years, 
and  occupying  a  situation  of  great  respectability,  liv- 
ing in  a  state  of  daring  apostacy  from  the  Christian 
faith,  and  openly  professing  his  preference  for  Moham- 
medanism. He  had  even  built  a  mosque  of  his  own  ; 
which  at  this  season,  being  the  Mohurran,  was  adorned 
with  flags  ;  and  being  illuminated  at  night,  proclaimed 


216  MEMOIR  OF 

the  shame  of  the  offender.  It  will  readily  be  supposed 
that  Mr.  Martyn  did  not  fail  to  sound  a  warning  voice 
in  the  ears  of  this  miserable  apostate — he  charged  him 
to  "  remember  whence  he  was  fallen,"  and  exhorted 
him  to  consider  that  "  the  Son  of  God  had  died  for 
sinners," 

At  the  school  at  Patna  neither  children  nor  teacher 
were  to  be  found  ;  all,  as  if  struck  by  a  panic,  had  ab- 
sented themselves.  The  people,  however,  quickly  ga- 
thered in  crowds,  and  to  them  Mr.  Martyn  declared 
that  his  intentions  had  been  misunderstood;  when, 
such  was  the  effect  of  temperate  reasonings  and  mild 
expostulations,  that  all  apprehensions  were  removed 
almost  as  quickly  as  they  had  been  excited ;  and  in  a 
few  days  the  children  came,  as  usual,  to  the  schools  of 
Patna  and  Dinapore. 

By  February  24,  a  work  was  completed  by  Mr.  Mar 
tyn,  which,  had  he  effected  nothing  else,  would  have 
proved  that  he  had  not  lived  in  vain — the  translation  of 
the  book  of  Common  Prayer  into  Hindoostanee ;  and  on 
Sunday,  March  15,  he  commenced  the  performance  of 
divine  worship  in  the  vernacular  language  of  India, 
concluding  with  an  exhortation  from  the  Scripture,  in 
the  same  tongue.  The  spectacle  was  as  novel  as  it  was 
gratifying,  to  behold  two  hundred  women,  Portuguese, 
Roman  Catholics,  and  Mohammedans,  crowding  to 
attend  the  service  of  the  Church  of  England,  which 
had  lost  nothing,  doubtless,  of  its  devout  solemnity,  in 
being  clothed  with  an  oriental  dress. 

Toward  the  latter  end  of  the  month  of  March,  ano- 
ther useful  work  was  also  brought  to  a  conclusion, 
that  of  a  "  Commentary  on  the  Parab'es  M— "  The  lit- 


HENRY   MARTYN.  217 

tie  book  of  the  Parables,"  Mr.  Martyn  wrote  to  Mr. 
Corrie  at  this  time,  "  is  finished,  through  the  blessing 
of  God :  I  cannot  say  that  I  am  very  well  pleased  on 
ihe  re-perusal  of  it ;  but  yet,  containing,  as  it  does,  such 
large  portions  of  the  word  of  God,  I  ought  not  to  doubt 
its  accomplishing  that  which  he  pleaseth." 

"  Talking  to  the  Moonshee,"  he  says  in  his  journal, 
of  the  probable  effects  of  that  work,  "  he  cut  me  to  the 
very  heart  by  his  contemptuous  reflections  on  the  Gos- 
pel ;  saying,  that  after  the  present  generation  was  pass- 
ed away,  a  race  of  fools  might  perhaps  arise,  who 
would  try  to  believe  that  God  could  be  a  man,  and  man 
God,  and  who  would  say  that  this  is  the  word  of  God. 
One  advantage  I  may  derive  from  his  bitterness  and 
disrespect,  is,  that  I  shall  be  surprised  at  no  appear- 
ances of  the  same  temper  in  others  in  future.  May  my 
Lord  enable  me  to  maintain  an  invincible  spirit  of  love  ! 
How  sweet  that  glorious  day,  when  Jesus  Christ  shall 
reign  !  Death,  at  several  times  of  this  day,  appeared  in- 
finitely sweet  in  this  view  of  it,  that  I  shall  then  go  to 
behold  the  glory  of  Christ." 

Mr,  Martyn's  duties  on  the  Sabbath  had  now  in- 
creased ;  consisting  of  one  service  at  seven  in  the 
morning  to  the  Europeans,  another  at  two  in  the 
afternoon  to  the  Hindoos,  and  an  attendance  at  the 
hospital:  after  which,  in  the  evening,  he  minister- 
ed privately  at  his  own  rooms  to  those  soldiers  who 
were  most  seriously  impressed  with  a  sense  of  divine 
things.  From  the  following  statement  we  may  see 
and  appreciate  his  exertions:  "The  English  service 
at  seven  in  the  morning.  I  preached  on  Luke,  22  :22. 
As  is  always  the  case  when  I  preach  about  Christ,  a 
19 


218  MEMOIR   OF 

spiritual  influence  was  diffused  over  my  souL  The 
rest  01  the  morning,  till  dinner  time,  I  spent  not  un- 
profitaoly  in  reading  Scripture  and  David  Bra'merd, 
and  in  orayer.  That  dear  saint  of  God,  David  Brain- 
erd,  is  truly  a  man  after  my  own  heart.  Although  I 
cannot  go  half  way  with  him  in  spirituality  and  devo- 
tion, I  cordially  unite  with  him  in  such  of  his  holy 
breathings  as  I  have  attained  unto.  How  sweet  and 
wise,  like  him,  and  the  saints  of  old,  to  pass  through 
this  world  as  a  serious  and  considerate  stranger !  I 
have  had  more  of  this  temper  to-day  than  of  late,  and 
every  duty  has  been  in  harmony  with  my  spirit.  The 
service  in  Hindoostanee  was  at  two  o'clock.  The  num- 
ber of  women  not  above  one  hundred,  I  expounded 
chap.  3  of  St.  Matthew.  Notwithstanding  the  general 
apathy  with  which  they  seemed  to  receive  every 
thing,  there  Were  two  or  three  who,  I  was  sure,  under- 
stood and  felt  something.  But,  besides  them,  not  a  sin- 
gle creature,  European  or  native,  was  present.  Yet 
true  spirituality,  with  all  its  want  of  attraction  for  the 
carnal  heart,  did  prevail  over  the  splendid  shows  of 
Greece  and  Rome,  and  shall  again  here,  A  man  at  the 
hospital  much  refreshed  me,  by  observing,  that  if  I 
made  an  acquisition  of  but  one  convert  in  my  whole 
life,  it  would  be  a  rich  reward  $  and  that  I  was  taking 
the  only  possible  way  to  this  end.  This  man's  remark 

was  much  more  sensible  than 's  yesterday,  who, 

it  seems,  had  full  information  of  my  schools,  &c.  and 
said  that  I  should  make  no  proselytes.  'Thy  judg* 
ments  are  far  above,  out  of  their  sight.'  How  positive- 
ly they  speak,  as  if  there  was  no  God  who  could  influ^ 

ence  the  heart.   At  night  B and  S came,  and 

we  had  the  usual  service." 


HENRY    MARTYX.  219 

With  those  soldiers  who  attended  Mr.  Martyn  al- 
ways on  the  evening  of  the  Sabbath,  and  often  on 
Borne  other  evenings  of  the  week,  he  enjoyed  true  spi- 
ritual communion.  Their  number  was  at  first  very 
small,  amounting  at  the  most  to  five;  sometimes,  in- 
deed, only  one  could  attend,  but  with  him  he  would 
gladly  unite  in  prayer  and  praise,  and  in  reading  the 
Scriptures ;  and  the  promise  of  the  Redeemer's  gra- 
cious presence  was  verified,  to  their  abundant  conso- 
lation. 

Over  some  few  of  the  officers  stationed  at  Dinapore 
he  now  began  to  rejoice  with  that  joy  which  those 
faithful  ministers  alone  can  estimate,  who,  after  much 
earnest  preaching  and  admonition,  and  after  many 
prayers  and  tears,  at  length  perceive  a  fruitful  result 
of  their  anxious  endeavors  to  win  souls  and  glorify 
their  Lord.  One  of  these,  "  who,  from  the  first,"  to 
use  Mr.  Martyn's  own  words,  "  had  treated  him  with 
the  kindness  of  a  father,"  at  this  time  excited  expecta- 
tions, which  soon  ripened  into  a  delightful  certainty, 
that  he  had  turned  with  full  purpose  of  heart  to  his 
Redeemer.  But  if  Mr.  Martyn's  happiness  was  great 
in  witnessing  this  effect  of  the  divine  blessing  on  his 
ministry,  so  also  was  his  anxiety  lest  this  new  con- 
vert should  relapse,  and  walk  again  according  to  the 
course  of  this  world  ;  and  he  began  for  the  first  time, 
he  said,  in  reference  to  him,  to  enter  into  the  spirit  of 
the  Apostle's  words,  "  Now  we  live,  if  ye  stand  fast  in 
the  Lord." 

To  those  ministerial  duties  in  which  he  was  now 
engaged,  Mr.  Martyn  considered  that  in  prudence  he 
ought,  for  the  present,  to  confine  himself:  had  he 


220  MEMOIR    OF 

given  way  at  once  to  the  strong  and  full-flowing  tide 
of  his  zeal  and  love,  it  would  immediately  have  carried 
him,  with  the  Bible  in  his  hand,  into  the  streets  of 
Patna;  though  to  have  commenced  his  ministry  in 
that  idolatrous  city  would,  as  he  confesses  to  Mr. 
Corrie,  have  cost  him  much.  He  wrote  to  Mr.  C.  in 
these  ardent  and  energetic  terms — "  O  that  the  time 
were  come  that  I  should  he  able  to  carry  the  war  into 
the  enemy's  territory.  It  will  be  a  severe  trial  to  the 
flesh,  my  dear  brother,  for  us  both  ;  but  it  is  sufficient 
for  the  disciple  to  be  as  his  master,  and  the  servant  as 
his  lord.  We  shall  be  'accounted  as  the  filth  of  the 
world,  and  the  off-scouring  of  all  things.'  But  glory 
be  to  God,  if  we  shall  be  accounted  worthy  to  suffer 
shame  for  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  The  cause  we 
undertake  is,  if  possible,  more  odious  and  contempti- 
ble in  the  eyes  of  the  people  of  this  country  than  it  was 
in  the  primitive  times;  and  that  because  of  the  mis- 
conduct of  the  Roman  Catholic  missionaries.  It  is  no 
more  than  natural  that  '  Christian'  should  be  a  name 
of  execration  to  those  who  know  no  more  of  Chris- 
tianity than  what  they  have  hitherto  observed  in  this 
country." 

To  that  unrestrained  intercourse  by  letter,  which 
Mr.  Martyn  held  weekly  with  Mr.  Corrie,  he  was  in- 
debted for  much  of  the  purest  felicity  of  his  life.  Such 
a  friend,  stationed  near  him  in  such  a  country,  he 
ranked  amongst  the  richest  blessings  showered  down 
upon  him  from  on  high.  For,  if  we  except  his  other 
brethren  in  India,  with  whom  he  statedly  correspond- 
ed every  quarter,  and  often  also  at  other  times,  and 
never  but  with  great  delight,  he  had  no  one  like- 


HENRY    MAETYN.  221 

minded,  who  would  naturally  care  for  the  souls  of  the 
heathen :  Mr.  Corrie  was  of  one  heart  with  himself. 

An  interruption  of  this  correspondence,  which  now 
took  place,  painful  as  it  was  in  itself  to  Mr.  Martyn, 
was  more  so  with  respect  to  its  cause.  The  military 
station  at  Chunar  is  considered  more  adverse  to  the 
constitution  of  an  European  than  almost  any  other  in 
India;  and  the  heat,  which  in  the  month  of  March 
raised  the  thermometer  at  Dinapore  to  92°  in  the  shade, 
at  Chunar  was  still  more  oppressively  intense.  Mr. 
Corrie's  health  began  in  consequence  to  be  seriously 
affected,  and  many  apprehensions  for  his  most  valua- 
ble life  forced  themselves  upon  the  mind  of  Mr. 
Martyn. 

The  following  extract  of  a  letter,  written  upon  this 
occasion,  shows  Mr.  Martyn's  anxiety  for  his  friend, 
and  evinces  also  how  fully  he  was  alive  to  the  neces- 
sity of  subjecting  the  impetuosity  of  zeal  to  the  dis- 
criminating correction  of  wisdom.  "If  there  is  nothing 
on  the  rock  of  Chunar  which  occasions  your  frequent 
illness,  I  am  sure  I  am  not  one  to  advise  you  to  leave 
the  flock.  But  if  there  is,  as  I  have  much  reason  to 
believe,  then  the  mere  loss  of  your  services  to  the  few 
people  there,  is,  I  think,  not  sufficient  reason  for  ha- 
zarding your  life,  in  which  the  interests  of  millions  of 
others  are  immediately  involved.  Consider,  you  bring 
a  fixed  habit  of  body  with  you.  and  must  humor  it  as 
much  as  possible  at  first.  "When,  after  the  experience 
of  a  year  or  two,  you  know  what  you  can  bear,  go,  if 
you  please,  to  the  extent  of  your  powers.  It  is  not 
agreeable  to  the  pride  and  self-righteous  parts  of  our 
nature  to  be  conferring  with  flesh  and  blood  ;  nature, 


222  MEMOIR   OF 

under  a  religious  form,  would  rather  squander  away 
life  and  strength,  as  David  Brainerd  did.  You  know 
that  I  regard  him  as  one  c  the  latchet  of  whose  shoes 
I  am  not  worthy  to  unloose  ;?  and  yet,  considering  the 
palpable  impropriety  of  his  attempting  to  do  what  he 
did,  when  he  ought  to  have  been  in  medical  hands, 
and  not  being  able  to  ascribe  it  to  folly,  in  such  a  sen- 
sible man,  I  feel  disposed,  perhaps  from  motives  of 
censoriousness,  to  ascribe  it  to  the  desire  of  gaining 
his  own  good  opinion."  Then  proceeding  to  the  sub- 
ject which  lay  so  near  both  their  hearts,  the  conver- 
sion of  the  heathen,  he  thus  concludes :  "  I  long  to  hear 
of  a  Christian  school  established  at  Benares;  it  will  be 
like  the  ark  of  God  brought  into  the  house  of  Dagon. 
But  do  not  be  in  a  hurry ;  let  your  character  become 
known,  and  you  may  do  any  thing.  If  nothing  else 
comes  of  our  schools,  one  thing  I  feel  assured  of,  that 
the  children  will  grow  up  ashamed  of  the  idolatry  and 
other  customs  of  their  country.  But  surely  the  general 
conversion  of  the  natives  is  not  far  off:  the  poverty  of 
the  Brahmins  makes  them  less  anxious  for  the  continu- 
ance of  the  present  system,  from  which  they  gain  but 
little.  But  the  translation  of  the  Scriptures  is  the  grand 
point.  I  trust  we  shall  have  the  heavenly  pleasure  of 
dispersing  the  Scriptures  together  through  the  inte- 
rior. Oh,  the  happiness  and  honor  of  being  the  chil- 
dren of  God,  the  ministers  of  Christ!" 

Mr.  Martyn's  own  health,  as  well  as  that  of  his 
friend,  was  reduced  at  this  time  to  a  weak  and  languid 
state.  To  the  debilitating  effects  of  the  heated,  atmos- 
phere this  was  in  part,  perhaps,  to  be  attributed ;  but 
it  was  certainly  increased,  if  not  induced,  by  his  too 


HENRY    MARTYN.  223 

severe  abstinence.  Most  strictly  did  he  observe  the 
seasons  set  apart  by  the  Church  for  fasting  and  pray- 
er; but  the  illness  under  which  he  now  labored  was 
so  evidently  aggravated,  if  not  occasioned  by  absti- 
nence, that  he  became  convinced  the  exercise  of  fast- 
ing was  so  injurious  to  his  health  as  to  be  improper,  in 
the  degree  and  frequency  in  which  he  had  been  accus- 
tomed to  use  it. 

In  this  sickness,  however,  though  an  extreme  lan- 
guor accompanied  it,  he  was  not  only  patient,  but  ac- 
tive. On  the  Sabbath  he  would  by  no  means  desist 
from  his  work.  "I  was  assisted,"  he  says,  "to  go 
through  the  usual  ministrations  without  pain.  In  the 
morning  I  preached  on  Psalm  16 :  8,  10,  and  adminis- 
tered the  Lord's  supper  with  rather  more  solemnity 
and  feeling  than  I  usually  have.  The  rest  of  the 
morning  I  could  do  little  but  lie  down;  in  the  after- 
noon I  found,  I  supposed,  two  hundred  women,  and 
expounded  again  at  considerable  length.  Read  the 
Pilgrim's  Progress  at  the  hospital.  In  exposition  with 
the  soldiers  I  found  great  enlargement." 

In  proof  of  that  wretchedness  and  ignorance  in  the 
natives  which  so  excited  Mr.  Martyn's  compassion  for 
them,  we  may  adduce  two  instances  with  which  he 
himself  has  furnished  us;  in  the  cases  of  a  Brahmin 
and  a  Ranee,  or  native  princess,  though  perhaps  the 
Brahmin  may  be  considered  as  only  avowing  senti- 
ments too  common  amongst  many  who  are  yet  called 
Christians,  and  have  the  book  of  God  in  their  hands. 
,:  A  Brahmin,"  he  says,  "  visiting  my  Pundit,  copied  out 
the  parable  in  which  the  ten  commandments  were 
written,  with  a  determination  to  put  them  all  accu- 


224  MEMOIR    OF 

rately  into  practice,  in  order  to  be  united  with  God. 
He  had  however,  an  observation  to  make,  and  a  ques- 
tion to  ask.  ;  There  was  nothing,'  he  said,  '  command- 
ed to  be  done,  only  things  to  be  abstained from ;  and  if 
he  should  be  taken  ill  in  the  bazaar,  or  wh.le  laughing, 
and  die;  and,  through  fear  of  transgressing  the  third 
commandment,  should  not  mention  the  name  of  God, 
should  he  go  to  heaven  ?" — "  The  Ranee  of  Daoud- 
nagur,  to  whom  I  had  sent  a  copy  of  the  Gospels  by 
the  Pundit,  returned  her  compliments,  and  desired  to 
know  what  must  be  done  for  obtaining  benefit  from 
the  book;  whether  prayer,  or  making  a  salam  (a  bow) 
to  it?  I  sent  her  word  that  she  must  seek  divine  in- 
struction by  secret  prayer,  and  I  also  added  some 
other  advice." 

Little  as  there  was  that  was  promising  in  either  of 
these  characters,  there  was  yet  more  appearance  of 
what  might  be  thought  hopeful  in  them,  than  in  Mr. 
Martyn's  Moonshee  and  Pundit,  whom  he  still  conti- 
nued to  labor  incessantly,  though  unsuccessfully,  to 
convince  of  their  awful  errors. 

"My  faith,"  he  complains  again,  "  is  tried  by  many 
things,  especially  by  disputes  with  the  Moonshee  and 
the  Pundit.  The  Moonshee  shows  remarkable  con- 
tempt for  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity.  'It  shows  God 
to  be  weak,'  he  says,  '  if  he  is  obliged  to  have  a  fellow. 
God  was  not  obliged  to  become  man  ;  for  if  we  had  all 
perished,  he  would  have  suffered  no  loss.  And  as  to 
pardon,  and  the  difficulty  of  it,  I  pardon  my  servant 
very  easily,  and  there  is  an  end.  As  to  the  Jewish 
Scriptures,  how  do  I  know  but  they  were  altered  by 
themselves?  They  were  wicked  enough  to  do  it,  just 


HENRY   MARTYN.  225 

as  they  made  a  calf.'  In  all  these  things  I  answered  so 
fully  that  he  had  nothing  to  reply."— "In  the  after- 
noon I  had  a  long  argument  again  with  the  Pundit. 
He  too  wanted  to  degrade  the  person  of  Jesus,  and 
said  that  neither  Brahma,  Vishnu,  nor  Seib  were  so 
low  as  to  be  born  of  a  woman  j  and  that  every  sect 
wished  to  exalt  its  teacher,  and  so  the  Christians  did 
Jesus." 

March  14. — The  quotations  which  I  collected  from 
Scripture  this  day,  in  treating  on  the  parable  of  the 
inconsiderate  king,  in  order  to  illustrate  the  idea  of 
the  sufferings  to  which  Christians  are  exposed,  seem- 
ed to  offend  both  the  Moonshee  and  the  Pundit  very 
much.  In  considering  the  text,  'the  time  cometh 
when  he  that  killeth  you  shall  think  he  doeth  God  ser- 
vice,' he  defended  the  practice  of  putting  infidels  to 
death,  and  the  certainty  of  salvation  to  Moslems  dying 
in  battle  with  the  infidels;  and  said  that  it  was  no 
more  strange  than  for  a  magistrate  to  have  power  to 
put  an  offender  to  death.  He  took  occasion  also  to  say 
that  both  the  New  Testament,  as  we  gave  it,  and  the 
church  service  also,  were  stuffed  with  blasphemies. 
With  the  benighted  Pundit  I  had  a  long  conversation, 
as  he  seemed  to  be  more  in  earnest  than  I  had  yet 
seen  him.  He  asked  whether,  by  receiving  the  Gospel, 
he  should  see  God  in  a  visible  shape ;  because,  he 
said,  he  had  seen  Sargoon  the  deity  made  visible :  this 
he  affirmed  with  great  gravity  and  earnestness.  At 
night  I  lost  time  and  temper  in  disputing  with  the 
Moonshee,  respecting  the  lawfulness  of  putting  men  to 
death  for  blasphemy.  He  began  by  cavilling  at  the 
Lord's  Prayer,  and  ridiculing  it,  particularly  the  ex- 


226  MEMOIR   OF 

pression,  '  hallowed  be  thy  name' — as  if  the  name  of 
the  deity  was  not  already  holy.  He  said  that  '  prayer 
was  not  a  duty  amongst  the  Mohammedans  ;  that  read- 
ing the  Numaz  was  merely  the  praise  of  God  ;  and 
that  as  when  a  servant,  after  doing  his  master's  duty 
well,  thought  it  a  favorable  opportunity  for  asking  a 
favor,  so  the  Moslem,  after  doing  his  duty,  might  ask 
of  God  riches  or  a  son ;  or,  if  he  pleased,  patience  in 
affliction.'  This  then  is  Mahommedanism,  to  murder, 
as  infidels,  the  children  of  God,  and  to  live  without 
prayer." 

"The  conversation  with  the  Pundit  was  more  se- 
rious than  it  has  yet  been;  and  I  find  that  seriousness, 
in  the  declaration  of  the  truths  of  the  Gospel,  is  likely 
to  have  more  power  than  the  clearest  argument  con- 
veyed in  a  trifling  spirit.  I  told  him  that,  now  he  had 
heard  the  word  of  Christ,  he  would  not  be  tried  at  the 
last  day  by  the  same  law  as  the  other  Brahmins  and 
Hindoos  who  had  never  heard  it,  but  in  the  same  man- 
ner as  myself  and  other  Christians;  and  that  I  feared, 
therefore,  that  he  was  in  great  danger.  He  said,  as 
usual,  that  there  were  many  ways  to  God;  but  I  re- 
plied that  there  was  no  other  Savior  than  Christ,  be- 
cause no  other  had  bought  men  with  his  blood,  and 
suffered  their  punishment  for  them.  This  effectually 
silenced  him  on  that  head:  he  then  said  that  "  he  had 
a  house  and  children,  and  that  to  preserve  them  he 
must  retain  the  favor  of  the  world ;  that  he  and  his 
friends  despised  idol-worship,  but  that  the  world 
would  call  him  wicked  if  he  forsook  the  service  of 
the  gods.' " 

f(  My  Pundit  grieved  me,  by  showing  that  he  knew 


HENRY    MARTYN.  227 

no  more  of  the  way  of  salvation  than  before.  Alas ! 
how  poor  and  contemptible  are  all  my  efforts  for  God 
—if  efforts  they  can  be  called.  He  observed  that 
'there  was  nothing  express  in  the  book  about  the  way 
of  salvation,  or  as  to  what  one  must  do  to  be  saved,'— 
the  legalist's  question  in  every  land." 

"  My  Pundit  observed  that  I  had  said  that  forgive- 
ness would  not  be  given  for  repentance  only ;  where- 
as, in  the  third  parable,  in  chap.  15  of  St.  Luke,  the 
repentant  sinner  was  received  at  once.  How  could 
this  be?  For  his  part,  he  would  rest  his  hope  on  the 
parables,  in  preference  to  the  other  statements.  How 
strange  is  the  reluctance  which  men  have  to  depend 
on  the  righteousness  of  another !  He  affirmed  that  he 
was  keeping  all  the  commandments  of  God.  But  when 
I  charged  him  with  worshipping  the  sun  at  his  morning 
devotions,  he  confessed  it,  and  said  that  it  was  not  for- 
bidden in  the  ten  commandments.  I  then  read  him  the 
passages  relating  to  the  worship  of  the  host  of  heaven ; 
but  he  could  see  no  harm  in  this  species  of  worship 
more  than  in  making  his  salam  to  any  other  superior. 
With  respect  to  the  Sabbath,  he  said  that  he  had  al- 
ways kept  that  day  by  fasting,  and  that  all  Hindoos 
did  the  same  ;  but  that  no  reason  was  given  in  the 
Shaster  why  it  was  holy." 

"Talking  with  the  Moonshee  on  the  old  subjects, 
the  divinity  of  Christ,  Mohammed's  challenge,  &c.  he 
did  not  know  of  the  system  of  the  Mohammedan  doc- 
tors, that  one  passage  abrogates  another  ;  but  said  that 
if  I  could  produce  two  commandments  undeniably  op- 
posite, he  would  throw  away  the  book,  and  seek  a  new 
religion.    Respecting  the  promise  of  Mohammed,  that 


228  MEMOIR   OF 

they  who  die  fighting  for  Islam  should  certainly  go  to 
heaven,  I  said  that  my  objection  was,  that  the  person 
thus  dying  might  be  full  of  envy,  &c.  and  could  such 
a  person  go  to  God?  In  answer  to  this,  he  denied  that 
the  sins  of  the  heart  were  sins  at  all;  and  I  could  say 
nothing  to  convince  him  that  they  were.  To  refute 
what  he  had  said  at  some  former  times  about  Mussul- 
men  not  remaining  in  hell  for  ever,  I  applied  our  Sa- 
vior's parable  of  the  servant  beaten  with  many  stripes ; 
and  asked  him,  '  If  I  had  two  servants,  one  of  whom 
knew  my  will,  and  the  other  did  not,  and  both  com- 
mitted the  same  fault,  which  was  the  more  culpable?' 
He  answered^  1 1  suppose  he  who  knew  his  master's 
will.'  I  replied, '  Yet,  according  to  you,  the  enlightened 
Mussulmen  are  to  come  out  of  hell,  while  Jews  and 
Christians,  for  the  same  sin,  are  to  remain  there  for 
ever.'  He  had  not  a  word  to  reply  ;  but  said  he  could 
give  no  answer,  'uglee,'  but  only  '  nuglee,'  contradict* 
ing  it  on  the  authority  of  the  Koran.  He  spoke  of  the 
ineffectual  endeavors  of  men  to  root  out  Islamism,  as 
a  proof  of  its  being  from  God  ;  and  objected  to  Chris- 
tianity, because  there  were  no  difficulties  in  it;  devo 
tion  only  once  a  week,  prayer  or  no  prayer,  just  when 
or  where  we  pleased  ;  eating  with  or  without  washing , 
and  that,  in  general,  it  was  a  life  of  carelessness 
with  us." 

Toward  the  middle  of  the  month  of  April  another 
summons,  similar  to  that  which  had  carried  Mr.  Mar- 
tyn  to  Buxar,  called  him  from  his  studies  and  labors 
at  Dinapore,  to  Monghir.  Not  long  before  he  under- 
took this  expedition,  we  find  him  thus  expressing  him- 


HENRY  MARTYN.  ^~9 

before  God,  "My  mind  much  as  usual,  not  tried  by 
any  violent  assault  of  sin  or  Satan  ;  but  the  daily  cause 
of  grief  and  shame,  and  indeed  the  root  of  all  sin,  is 
forgetfulness  of  God.  I  perceive  not  in  what  state  I 
have  been,  till  I  come  to  pray."—"  Enjoyed  a  greater 
stability  of  faith  in  the  divine  Redeemer.  May  he 
make  his  servant  steady,  brave,  and  vigilant  in  his  ser- 
vice !" — "Satan  assaults  me  in  various  ways;  some  of 
his  temptations,  respecting  the  person  of  my  Lord, 
were  dreadfully  severe;  but  lie  triumphed  not  a  mo- 
ment. I  am  taught  by  these  things  to  see  what  would 
become  of  me  if  God  should  withdraw  his  mighty  hand. 
Is  there  any  depth  into  which  Satan  would  not  plunge 
me  ?" 

"My  soul  is  sometimes  tried  with  the  abounding  of 
iniquity,  and  wounded  by  infidel  thoughts.  But  my 
Redeemer  has  risen  triumphant,  and  will  not  suffer  his 
feeble  servant  to  be  tempted  above  what  I  am  able  to 
bear." — "  If  there  is  one  thing  that  refreshes  my  soul 
above  all  others,  it  is,,  that  I  shall  behold  the  Redeemer 
gloriously  triumphant,  at  the  winding-up  of  all  things. 
O  thou  injured  Sovereign,  how  long  dost  thou  bear 
this  ingratitude  from  wicked  mankind  !" 

"Still  permitted  to  find  sweet  refuge  in  the  presence 
of  my  Lord,  from  infidelity,  and  from  the  proud  world, 
and  the  vanities  of  time." 

"In  prayer  had  an  affecting  sense  of  my  shameful 
ingratitude.  Had  I  behaved  thus  to  an  earthly  bene- 
factor, showing  so  little  regard  for  his  company  and 
his  approbation,  how  should  I  abhor  myself,  and  be 
abhorred  by  all :  O  what  a  God  is  our  God  !  How  as- 
tonishingly rich  in  grace,  bearing  all  with  unceasing 
20 


230  MEMOIR   OF 

patience,  and  doing  nothing  but  crowning  his  sinful 
creature  with  loving-kindness  and  tender  mercies." 

''This  is  the  day  on  which  I  left  Cambridge.  My 
thoughts  frequently  recurred,  with  many  tender  recol- 
lections, to  that  seat  of  my  beloved  brethren,  and  I 
again  wandered  in  spirit  amongst  the  trees  on  the 
banks  of  the  Cam." 

"Employed  in  writing  a  sermon,  and  translating; 
but  heavenly  things  become  less  familiar  to  my  mind 
whilst  I  am  so  employed  without  intermission.  Yet 
the  whole  desire  of  my  heart  is  towards  spiritual  en- 
joyment. O  when  shall  body,  soul  and  spirit,  be  all 
duly  employed  for  God  !" 

"  Dull  and  poor  as  my  miserable  soul  is,  and  think- 
ing very  little  about  heaven  ;  yet,  for  aught  else  that  is 
in  this  world,  existence  is  scarcely  worth  having.  The 
world  seems  as  empty  as  air." 

On  the  18th  of  April  Mr.  Martyn  commenced  his 
voyage  of  nearly  a  hundred  miles  to  Monghir.  The 
following  is  an  extract  from  his  journal  during  the 
eight  days  that  were  consumed  in  thus  leaving  his 
station  to  marry  a  couple,  and  in  returning  afterwards 
to  Dinapore. 

"  After  finishing  the  correction  of  the  parables,  Heft 
Dinapore  to  go  to  Monghir.  Spent  the  evening  at  Patna 

with  Mr.  G in  talking  on  literary  subjects ;  but  my 

soul  was  overwhelmed  with  a  sense  of  my  guilt  in  not 
striving  to  lead  the  conversation  to  something  that 
might  be  for  his  spiritual  good.  My  general  backward- 
ness to  speak  on  spiritual  subjects  before  the  uncon- 
verted, made  me  groan  in  spirit  a-t  such  unfeelingness 
and  unbelief.    May  the  remembrance  of  what  I  am 


HENRY    MARTYX.  231 

made  to  suffer  for  these  neglects  be  one  reason  for 
greater  zeal  and  love  in  the  time  to  come." 

April  19th. — "  A  melancholy  Lord's  day  !  In  the 
morning,  at  the  appointed  hour,  I  found  some  solemni- 
ty and  tenderness ;  the  whole  desire  of  my  soul  seemed 
to  be,  that  all  the  ministers  in  India  might  be  eminent- 
ly holy;  and  that  there  might  be  no  remains  of  that 
levity  or  indolence,  in  any  of  us,  which  I  found  in  my- 
self. The  rest  of  the  day  passed  heavily,  for  a  hurri- 
cane of  hot  wind  fastened  us  on  a  sand-bank  for  twelve 
hours,  while  the  dust  was  suffocating,  and  the  heat  in- 
creased the  sickness  which  was  produced  by  the  toss- 
ing of  the  boat,  and  I  frequently  fell  asleep  over  my 
work.  However,  the  more  I  felt  tempted  to  impatience 
and  unhappiness,  the  more  the  Lord  helped  me  to 
strive  against  it,  and  to  look  to  the  fullness  of  Jesus 
Christ.   Several  hymns,  particularly 

"  There  is  a  fountain  filled  v.  ith  blood," 

were  very  sweet  to  me.  After  all  the  acquisitions  of 
human  science,  what  is  there  to  be  compared  with  the 
knowledge  of  Christ,  and  him  crucified?  Read  much 
of  the  Scripture  history  of  Saul,  and  the  predictions  in 
the  latter  end  of  the  Revelation.  Read  also  Marshall 
on  Sanctification,  Gibert's  Sermons,  and  Thomas  a 
Kempis." 

April  20. — "  A  day  very  little  better.  I  could  scarce- 
ly keep  myself  alive,  and  was  much  tried  by  evil  tem- 
per.   Employed  in  writing  to  ,  and  Mr. ;  but 

all  I  did  was  without  energy ;  the  long-wished  for  night 
came  at  last,  and  my  feeble  body  found  rest  and  resto- 
ration in  sleep." 


232  MEMOIR    OF 

April  21.—"  Again  the  love  and  mercy  of  the  Lord 
restored  me  to  health  and  spirits.  Began  to  write  a 
sermon  on  walking  in  Christ,  and  found  my  soul  bene- 
fited by  meditation  on  the  subject.  In  the  afternoon 
went  on  with  translations.  Arrived  at  sunset  at  Mon- 
ghir." 

April  22. — "  Spent  the  day  at 's.   Found  two  or 

three  opportunities  to  speak  to  him  about  his  soul. 

threw  out  some  infidel  sentiments,  which  gave 

me  an  opportunity  of  speaking.  But  to  none  of  the 
rest  was  I  able  to  say  any  thing.  Alas  !  in  what  a  state 
are  mankind  every  where;  living  without  God  in  the 
world.    Married to ." 

April  23.— "  Left  Monghir,  and  got  on  twenty-three 
miles  toward  Dinapore  :  very  sorrowful  in  mind,  both 
from  the  recollection  of  having  done  nothing  for  the 
perishing  souls  I  have  been  amongst,  and  from  find- 
ing myself  so  unqualified  to  write  on  a  spiritual  sub- 
ject which  I  had  undertaken.  Alas  !  the  ignorance 
and  carnality  of  my  miserable  soul !  how  contempti- 
ble must  it  be  in  the  sight  of  God. 

April  24. — "  Still  cast  down  at  my  utter  inability  to 
write  any  thing  profitable  on  this  subject ;  and  at  my 
execrable  pride  and  ease  of  heart.  O  that  I  could 
weep  in  the  dust,  with  shame  and  sorrow  for  my 
wickedness  and  folly  !  Yet  thanks  are  due  to  the  Lord 
for  showing  me,  in  this  way,  how  much  my  heart  has 
been  neglected  of  late.  I  see  by  this,  how  great  are 
the  temptations  of  a  missionary  to  neglect  his  own 
soul.  Apparently  outwardly  employed  for  God,  my 
heart  has  been  growing  more  hard  and  proud.  Let 
me  be  taught  that  the  first  great  business  on  earth  is 


HENRY    MARTYN.  233 

to  obtain  the  sanctification  of  my  own  soul ;  so  shall  I 
be  rendered  more  capable  also  of  performing  the  du- 
ties of  the  ministry,  whether  amongst  the  Europeans 
or  heathen,  in  a  holy  and  solemn  manner.  O  how  I 
detest  that  levity  to  which  I  am  so  subject !  How  cruel 
and  unfeeling  is  it !  God  is  my  witness  that  I  would 
rather,  from  this  day  forward,  weep  day  and  night  for 
the  danger  of  immortal  souls.  But  my  wickedness 
seems  to  take  such  hold  of  me  that  I  cannot  escape  ; 
and  my  only  refuge  is  to  commit  my  soul,  with  all  its 
corruption,  into  the  hands  of  Christ,  to  be  sanctified 
and  saved  by  his  almighty  grace.  For  what  can  I  do 
with  myself?  my  heart  is  so  thoroughly  corrupt  that 
I  cannot  keep  myself  one  moment  from  sin.  Finished 
the  Koran  to-day,  and  considered  with  myself  why  I 
rejected  it  as  an  imposition,  and  the  reasons  appeared 
clear  and  convincing." 

"  The  budgerow  struck  with  such  violence  against 
a  sand-bank,  that  a  poor  Mohammedan  boy,  falling 
with  all  the  rest,  broke  his  arm.  We  did  all  that  we 
could,  but  the  cries  of  the  poor  boy  went  through  my 
heart.  At  night  a  tremendous  north-wester  came  on, 
but  the  Lord  kept  us  in  safety." 

April  25. — "  The  morning  employed,  with  little  suc- 
cess, on  the  same  subject.  I  still  find  it  too  spiritual 
for  my  carnal  heart.  My  mind  distressed  with  doubts 
whether  I  shall  make  the  people  observe  the  Sabbath, 
by  causing  them  to  lie  by  :  but  on  considering  that 
they  would  not  think  it  a  favor,  but,  on  the  contrary, 
a  vexation,  that  they  could  not  sanctify  it,  and  that  I 
had  not  given  the  mangee  notice  before  setting  out,  I 
resolved  to  go  on ;  though  I  felt  by  no  means  easy. 
20* 


234  MEMOIR   OF 

Before  setting  out  again,  I  hope  to  make  up  my  mind 
satisfactorily  on  this  subject." 

April  26. — "In  prayer  at  the  appointed  hour,  I  felt 
solemnity  of  mind  and  an  earnest  desire  that  the  Lord 
would  pour  out  a  double  portion  of  his  Spirit  upon  us 
his  ministers  in  India ;  that  every  one  of  us  may  be 
eminent  in  holiness  and  ministerial  gifts.  If  I  were  to 
judge  for  myself,  I  should  fear  that  God  had  forsaken 
his  church  ;  for  I  am  most  awfully  deficient  in  the 
knowledge  and  experience  requisite  for  a  minister ; 
but  my  dear  brother  Corrie,  thanks  be  to  God,  is  a 
man  of  a  better  spirit :  may  he  grow  more  and  more 
in  grace,  and  continue  to  be  an  example  to  us  !  Passed 
the  day  in  reading  and  prayer,  such  as  my  prayers 
are.  My  soul  struggled  with  corruption,  yet  I  found 
the  merit  and  grace  of  Jesus  all-sufficient  and  all-sup- 
porting. Though  my  guilt  seemed  like  mountains,  I 
considered  it  as  no  reason  for  departing  from  Christ, 
but  rather  for  clinging  to  him  more  closely.  Thus  I 
got  through  the  day,  cast  down,  but  not  destroyed. 
The  account  of  David's  fall  affected  me  more  tenderly 
than  ever  it  did,  and  I  could  not  help  weeping  over  the 
fall  of  that  man  of  God.  Began  Scott's  Essays,  and 
was  surprised  indeed  at  the  originality  and  vigor  of  the 
sentiments  and  language.    At  eight  arrived  at  Patna." 

April  27. — "Left  Patna  and  arrived  at  Dinapore. 
The  concourse  of  people  in  that  great  city  was  a  so- 
lemn admonition  to  me  to  be  diligent  in  study  and 
prayer.  Thousands  of  intelligent  people  together:  no 
Sabbath — no  word  of  God — no  one  to  give  them  ad- 
vice. How  inscrutable  the  ways  of  God  !" 

Mr.  Martya  had  no  sooner  returned  to  Dinapore, 


HENRY    MARTYN.  235 

than  he  heard,  to  his  sorrow  and  surprise,  that  the 
Ranee,  to  whom  he  had  sent  a  Testament,  together 
with  some  advice  upon  the  subject  of  religion,  was 
about  to  despatch  a  messenger  to  him,  to  request  a 
letter  of  recommendation  to  one  of  the  judges,  before 
whom  she  had  a  cause  pending,  id  which  her  domi- 
nions were  at  stake.  "  I  felt  hurt,"  he  says,  "  at  consi- 
dering how  low  a  sovereign  princess  must  have  fallen 
to  make  such  a  request,  but  lost  no  time  in  apprising 
her  that  our  laws  were  perfectly  distinct  from  the  di- 
vine laws,  and  that  therefore  this  was  no  affair  of 
mine,  as  she  seemed  to  suppose  it  to  be."' 

In  Mr.  Martyn's  schools  so  much  progress  had  now 
been  made,  that  it  became  necessary  1o  determine 
what  books  should  be  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  chil- 
dren who  could  read.  To  give  them  at  first  the  book 
of  the  parables  which  he  had  prepared  for  their  use, 
would,  it  was  feared,  awaken  suspicion  in  the  breasts 
of  their  parents,  wiio  had  already  shown  much  jea- 
lousy respecting  his  designs.  He  therefore  deemed  it 
the  wisest  measure  to  permit  them  to  use  one  of  the 
Hindoo  books,  after  having  had  it  previously  read  to 
him.  It  was  a  book  which,  if  it  did  no  good,  could,  he 
thought,  do  no  harm;  as  it  was  an  old  Hinduwee 
poem,  on  an  Avatar  of  Vishnu,  which  it  was  impossi- 
ble for  the  children  to  understand. 

His  judgment  on  this  question — one  of  some  diffi- 
culty and  embarrassment— is  thus  given  in  a  letter  to 
Mr.  Corrie :  "  Your  schools  flourish — blessed  be  God  ! 
The  Dinapore  school  is  resorted  to  from  all  quarters, 
even  from  the  other  side  of  the  river.  The  Bankipore 
school  is  also  going  on  well.    I  do  not  institute  more 


236  MEMOIR    OF 

till  I  see  the  Christian  books  introduced.  The  more 
schools  the  more  noise,  and  the  more  inquiry,  and 
the  greater  suspicion  of  its  being  of  a  political  nature. 
Besides,  if  all  the  schools  were  to  come  to  a  demur  to- 
gether, I  fear  their  deciding  against  us :  but  if  one  or 
two  schools,  with  much  thought  about  it,  comply  with 
our  wishes,  it  will  be  a  precedent  and  example  to 
others.  I  think  you  should  not  dictate  which  of  their 
books  should  be  given  ;  but  only  reserve  the  power  of 
rejecting,  amongst  those  which  they  propose.  I  bless 
God  that  you  are  brought  to  Act  with  me  on  a  broad 
and  cautious  plan :  but  I  trust  our  motto  will  be,  '  con- 
stant, though  cautious  ;'  never  ceasing  to  keep  our  at- 
tention steadily  fixed  on  the  state  of  things  ;  and  be- 
ing swift  to  embrace  every  opportunity." 

Amidst  many  causes  of  discouragement — from  the 
inattention  of  the  women  who  attended  his  expositions 
on  the  Sabbath,  the  general  profanation  of  that  holy 
day  by  Europeans,  notwithstanding  his  solemn  and 
repeated  remonstrances,  and  the  vacillating  conduct 
of  some  of  his  flock,  whom  he  had  hoped  to  have  seen 
stronger  and  bolder  in  their  Master's  cause — a  letter 
from  a  young  officer,  desiring,  at  this  time,  an  ac- 
quaintance with  Mr.  Marty n,  on  a  religious  account, 
was  to  him  a  source  of  the  most  cheering  delight. 
And  yet,  even  before  the  receipt  of  it,  he  could  bless 
God  that  he  felt  "impregnable  to  any  discouragement." 
"  It  was  not,"  said  he,  "  that  I  was  indifferent,  or  that 
I  saw  some  encouraging  circumstances;  but  I  was 
made  to  reflect  that  I  was  the  servant  of  God  in  these 
things,  and  that  lie  would  surely  bring  his  purposes  to 
pass,  in  some  way  or  other." 


HENRY    MAETYN.  237 

In  addition  to  Mr.  Martyn's  studies  in  Sanscrit, 
Persian,  and  Hindoostanee,  we  find  him  now  sedu- 
lously employed  in  reading  Leland  against  the  deis- 
tical  writers;  and  thence  drawing  out  arguments 
against  the  Koran.  But  being  fearful  lest,  in  the 
midst  of  these  pursuits,  his  spirit  should  decline  as  to 
more  important  points,  he  thus  speaks:  "May  my 
soul,  in  prayer,  never  rest  satisfied  without  the  enjoy- 
ment of  God!  May  all  my  thoughts  be  fixed  on  him  ! 
May  I  sit  so  loose  to  every  employment  here,  that  I 
may  be  able,  at  a  moment's  warning,  to  take  my  de- 
parture for  another  world  !  May  I  be  taught  to  re- 
member that  all  other  studies  are  merely  subservient 
to  the  great  work  of  ministering  holy  things  to  immor- 
tal souls !  May  the  most  holy  works  of  the  ministry, 
and  those  which  require  most  devotedness  of  soul,  be 
the  most  dear  to  my  heart !" 

Mr.  Martyn,  whilst  thus  occupied,  was  called  to  the 
decision  of  a  practical  question  of  greater  moment  than 
that  respecting  the  introduction  of  books  into  the 
schools;  application  having  been  made  by  one  of  the 
native  women,  to  be  received  to  the  communion,  though 
she  manifested  no  signs  of  penitence  or  faith,  and  could 
by  no  means  be  made  to  comprehend  that  any  thing 
farther  was  necessary  to  constitute  a  Christian  than 
to  say  the  Lord's  Prayer.  As  he  found  himself  com- 
pelled to  deny  her  request,  "  she  went  away,"  he  says, 
u  in  great  distress  ;"  but  he  adopted  the  steadfast  de- 
termination to  reject  all  candidates  for  admission  into 
the  Church  of  England,  who  were  manifestly  ignorant 
of  the  spirit  of  Christianity,  though  convinced  of  the 
truth  of  it ;  and  the  decision  was  doubtless  agreeable 


238  MEMOIR  OF 

to  the  word  of  God,  and  to  the  practice  of  the  primi- 
tive times. 

Much  time,  as  we  have  already  seen,  had  been  de- 
voted by  Mr.  Martyn  to  the  translation  of  the  Scrip- 
tures into  Hindoostanee,  both  before  and  after  lie 
quitted  Calcutta.  To  these  exertions  for  the  honor  and 
glory  of  God  a  new  stimulus  was  added,  in  the  month 
of  June  in  this  year,  by  a  proposal  from  the  Rev.  Da- 
vid Brown,  that  he  would  engage  more  directly  in  that 
important  work ;  in  which  he  had  already  proceeded 
to  the  end  of  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles ;  and  also  that 
he  would  superintend  the  translation  of  the  Scriptures 
into  Persian.  This  proposal  he  eagerly,  yet  diffidently, 
accepted;  and  animated  by  the  expectation  of  behold- 
ing his  labors  brought  to  a  successful  termination,  lie 
prosecuted  them  with  a  delight  commensurate  with 
his  ardent  diligence. 

"The  time  fled  imperceptibly,"  he  observes,  "while 
so  delightfully  engaged  in  the  translations;  the  days 
seemed  to  have  passed  like  a  moment.  Blessed  be  God 
for  some  improvement  in  the  languages!  May  every 
thing  be  for  edification  in  the  church  !  What  do  I  not 
owe  to  the  Lord,  for  permitting  me  to  take  part  in  a 
translation  of  his  word  !  never  did  I  see  such  wonder 
and  wisdom,  and  love  in  the  blessed  book,  as  since  1 
have  been  obliged  to  study  every  expression  ;  and  it 
is  a  delightful  reflection,  that  death  cannot  deprive  us 
of  the  pleasure  of  studying  its  mysteries." 

"  All  day  on  the  translations :  employed  a  good 
while  at  night  in  considering  a  difficult  passage  ;  and 
being  much  enlightened  respecting  it,  I  went  to  bed 
full  of  astonishment  at  the  wonder  of  God's  word , 


HENRY    MARTYN.  230 

never  before  did  I  see  any  thing  of  the  beauty  of  the 
language  and  the  importance  of  the  thoughts  as  I  do 
now.  I  felt  happy  that  I  should  never  be  finally  sepa- 
rated from  the  contemplation  of  them,  or  of  the  things 
about  which  they  are  written.  Knowledge  shall  van- 
ish away,  but  it  shall  be  because  perfection  shall  come. 
Then  shall  I  see  as  I  am  seen,  and  know  as  I  am 
known." 

"What  a  source  of  perpetual  delight  have  I  in  the 
precious  book  of  God  !  O  that  my  heart  were  more 
spiritual,  to  keep  pace  with  my  understanding,  and 
that  I  could  feel  as  I  know  !  May  my  root  and  founda- 
tion be  deep  in  love,  and  may  I  be  able  to  '  compre- 
hend, with  all  saints,  what  is  the  breadth,  and  length, 
and  depth,  and  height,  and  to  know  the  love  of  Christ, 
which  passeth  knowledge  !'  And  may  I  be  filled  with 
all  the  fullness  of  God  !"  He  adds,  in  his  accustomed 
spirit  of  incessant  watchfulness,  "  May  the  Lord,  in 
mercy  to  my  soul,  save  me  from  setting  up  an  idol  of 
any  sort  in  his  place ;  as  I  do  by  preferring  even  a 
work  professedly  done  for  him,  to  communion  with 
him.  How  obstinate  is  the  reluctance  of  the  natural 
heart  to  love  God !  But,  O  my  soul,  be  not  deceived  j 
thy  chief  work  upon  earth  is,  to  obtain  sanctification, 
and  to  walk  with  God.  '  To  obey  is  better  than  sacri- 
fice, and  to  hearken  than  the  fat  of  rams.'  Let  me  learn 
from  this,  that  to  follow  the  direct  injunctions  of  God, 
as  to  my  own  soul,  is  more  my  duty  than  to  be  en- 
gaged in  other  works,  under  pretence  of  doing  him 


240  MEMOIR  OF 


CHAPTER  VII. 

DEATH  OP  HIS  ELDEST   SISTER — LETTERS   TO   HIS   FRIENDS—  ARRI* 

VAL    OE    MIRZA    AND   SABAT — TRIALS    WITH    SaBAT DECLINING 

HEALTH — REMOVAL  TO  CAWNPORE — DEATH  OP  HIS  YOUNGEST 
SISTER — HEALTH  MORE  IMPAIRED — DETERMINES  TO  VISIT  ARA- 
ElA  AND  PERSIA — LEAVES  CAWNPORE  FOR  CALCUTTA — DEPARTS 
FOR  ARABIA. 

Scarcely  had  Mr.  Martyn  girded  up  his  loins  with 
the  great  and  heavenly  design  of  completing  a  version 
of  the  Scriptures  in  Hindoostanee,  and  of  superintend- 
ing one  in  the  Persian  tongue,  when  the  sovereign, 
wise,  and  infinite  love  of  his  God  summoned  him  to 
endure  an  affliction,  more  grievous  than  any  which 
had  befallen  him  since  those  first  bitter  tears  which  lie 
shed  at  the  death  of  his  father.  Apprehensions  of  the 
loss  of  his  eldest  sister  had  been  excited  in  his  mind, 
by  some  expressions  she  herself  had  dropped  in  a  let- 
ter, which  reached  him  a  few  weeks  before  he  received 
the  fatal  intelligence  that  she  was  no  more.  A  period 
of  torturing  suspense  terminated  in  one  of  inexpressi- 
ble sorrow.  But  "  blessed  is  the  man  whom  thou 
chastenest,  O  Lord."  Gleams  of  this  blessedness  shone 
forth  from  the  cloud  of  that  dark  dispensation  with 
which  Mr.  Martyn  was  now  visited.  "  O  my  heart,  my 
heart,"  he  exclaimed,  l{  is  it,  can  it  be  true !  that  she 
has  been  lying  so  many  months  in  the  cold  grave! 
Would  that  I  could  always  remember  it,  or  always 
forget  it  j  but  to  think  for  a  moment  of  other  things, 


HENRY   MARTYN.  241 

and  then  to  feel  the  remembrance  of  it  coming,  as  if 
for  the  first  time,  rends  my  heart  asunder.  When  I 
look  round  upon  the  creation,  and  think  that  her  eyes 
see  it  not,  but  have  closed  upon  it  for  ever— that  I  lie 
down  in  my  bed,  but  that  she  has  lain  down  in  her 
grave — O  !  is  it  possible  ?  I  wonder  to  find  myself  still 
in  life ;  that  the  same  tie  which  united  us  in  life,  has 
not  brought  death  at  the  same  moment  to  both.  O 
great  and  gracious  God!  what  should  I  do  without 
thee  !  But  now  thou  art  manifesting  thyself  as  the  God 
of  all  consolation  to  my  soul :  never  was  I  so  near  thee ; 
I  stand  on  the  brink,  and  long  to  take  my  flight.  There 
is  not  a  thing  in  the  world  for  which  I  could  wish  to 
live,  except  the  hope  that  it  may  please  God  to  appoint 
me  some  work.  And  how  shall  my  soul  ever  be  thank- 
ful enough  to  thee,  O  thou  most  incomprehensibly 
glorious  Savior,  Jesus  !  O  what  hast  thou  done  to  alle- 
viate the  sorrows  of  life !  and  how  great  has  been  the 
mercy  of  God  towards  my  family,  in  saving  us  all ! 
How  dreadful  would  be  the  separation  of  relations  in 
death,  were  it  not  for  Jesus  !" 

Mr.  Martyn's  mind,  under  this  painful  deprivation, 
was  exceedingly  comforted  by  a  sure  and  certain  hope, 
as  it  respected  her  for  whom  he  mourned.  That  de- 
lightful expectation  of  meeting  her  in  glory,  which  he 
has  now  realized,  was  one  powerful  support  to  his 
heart,  then  overwhelmed  within  him :  for  the  letter 
which  contained  the  account  of  his  loss,  happily  left 
him  no  room  to  doubt  of  his  sister's  eternal  gain  j  and 
that,  through  the  grave  and  gate  of  death,  she  had 
passed  into  the  consummation  of  bliss,  in  the  eternal 
and  everlasting  kingdom  of  Christ. 
21 


242  memoir  or 

"  The  European  letter,"  he  wrote  to  Mr.  Brown, 
K  contained  the  intelligence  of  the  death  of  my  eldest 
sister.  A  few  lines  received  from  herself  about  three 
weeks  ago,  gave  me  some  melancholy  forebodings  of 
her  danger.  But  though  the  Lord  thus  compassionate- 
ly prepared  me  for  this  affliction,  I  hardly  knew  how 
to  bear  it.  We  were  more  united  in  affection  to  each 
other,  than  to  any  of  our  relations ;  and  now  she  is 
gone,  I  am  left  to  fulfill,  as  a  hireling,  my  day,  and  then 
I  shall  follow  her.  She  had  been  many  years  under 
some  conviction  of  her  sins,  but  not  till  her  last  illness 
had  she  sought  in  earnest  for  salvation.  Some  weeks 
before  her  death  she  felt  the  burden  of  sin,  and  cried 
earnestly  for  pardon  and  deliverance  ;  and  continued 
in  the  diligent  use  of  the  appointed  means  of  grace. 
Two  days  before  her  death,  when  no  immediate  dan- 
ger was  apprehended,  my  youngest  sister  visited  her, 
and  was  surprised  and  delighted  at  the  change  which 
had  taken  place.  Her  convictions  of  sin  were  deep, 
and  her  views  clear  ;  her  only  fear  was  on  account  of 
her  own  unworthiness.  She  asked,  with  many  tears, 
whether  there  was  mercy  for  one  who  had  been  so 
great  a  sinner ;  though  in  the  eyes  of  the  world  she  had 
been  an  exemplary  wife  and  mother ;  and  said  that  she 
believed  the  Lord  would  have  mercy  upon  her,  because 
she  knew  he  had  wrought  on  her  mind  by  his  Spirit. 
Two  days  after  this  conversation,  she  suddenly  and 
unexpectedly  left  this  world  of  wo,  while  her  sister  was 
visiting  a  dying  friend  at  a  distance.  This,  you  will 
tell  me,  is  precious  consolation ;  indeed,  I  am  constrain- 
ed to  acknowledge  that  I  could  hardly  ask  for  greater; 
for  I  had  already  parted  with  her  for  ever  in  this  life ; 


HENRY   MARTYN.  243 

and.  in  parting,  all  I  wished  for  was,  to  hear  of  her  be- 
ing converted  to  God,  and,  if  it  was  his  will,  taken 
away,  in  due  time,  from  the  evil  to  come,  and  brought 
to  glory  before  me.  Yet  human  nature  bleeds  ;  her  de- 
parture has  left  this  world  a  frightful  blank  to  me ; 
and  I  feel  not  the  smallest  wish  to  live,  except  there  be 
some  work  assigned  for  me  to  do  in  the  church  of  God/' 
Acutely  as  Mr.  Marty n  suffered,  such  importance  did 
lie  attach  to  those  studies  which  had  in  view  the  mani- 
festation of  the  Gospel  to  regions  "  sitting  in  darkness 
and  the  shadow  of  death,"  that  he  omitted  the  prose- 
cution of  them,  at  this  period,  only  for  a  single  day. 
It  was  a  duty  he  thought  incumbent  on  him,  to  return 
to  his  work  as  soon  as  possible,  however  heavily  his 
mind  might  be  burdened ;  but  his  expressions,  many 
days  afterwards,  declare  into  what  depths  of  grief  he 
was  sunk.  "  My  heart,"  said  he,  "  is  still  oppressed, 
but  it  is  not  "  a  sorrow  that  worketh  death."  Though 
nature  weeps  at  being  deprived  of  all  hopes  of  ever 
seeing  this  dear  companion  on  earth,  faith  is  thereby 
brought  the  more  into  exercise.  How  sweet  to  feel 
dead  to  all  below ;  to  live  only  for  eternity ;  to  forget 
the  short  interval  that  lies  between  us  and  the  spiritual 
world  ;  and  to  live  always  seriously.  The  seriousness 
which  this  sorrow  produces  is  indescribably  precious ; 
O  that  I  could  always  retain  it,  when  these  impres- 
sions shall  be  worn  away!  My  studies  have  been  the 
Arabic  grammar,  and  Persian;  writing  Luke  for  the 
women,  and  dictating  1  Peter,  1,  to  my  Moonshee. 
Finished  the  Gulistan  of  Sadi,  and  began  it  again,  in 
order  to  mark  all  the  phrases  which  may  be  of  use  in 
the  translation  of  the  Scriptures." 


244  MEMOIR   OF 

One  fruit  of  Mr.  Martyn's  prayers,  and  result  of  his 
prudence,  was  the  successful  introduction  into  his 
schools,  shortly  after  this,  of  the  sermon  on  the 
Mount;  and  on  the  21st  of  September  he  had  the  ex- 
quisite joy  of  hearing  the  poor  heathen  boys  reading 
the  words  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  "  A  wise  man's  heart," 
saith  Solomon,  "discerneth  both  time  and  judgment." 
It  was  in  this  spirit  of  patient  and  dependent  wisdom 
that  Mr.  Martyn  had  acted  respecting  the  schools ;  and 
it  was  the  same  rare  temper  of  mind  which  prevailed 
on  him  still  to  abstain  from  preaching  publicly  to  the 
natives :  again  and  again  did  he  burn  to  begin  his  min- 
istry in  Patna;  but  again  and  again  did  he  feel  deeply 
the  importance  of  not  being  precipitate.  It  was  not, 
however,  without  much  difficulty  that  he  checked  the 
ardor  of  his  zeal.  He  was  determined  to  see  what  the 
institution  of  schools  and  the  quiet  distribution  of  the 
Scriptures  and  Tracts  would  effect;  and  was  con- 
vinced that  public  preaching  at  first  was  incompatible 
with  his  plan  of  procedure;  whereas  it  was  clear  that 
a  way  would  thus  be  opened  for  preaching,  of  which 
object  he  never  lost  sight.  It  was  this  which  made 
him  resist  the  solicitations  of  those  friends  who  would 
have  detained  him  at  Calcutta ;  and  this  it  was  which 
now  occasioned  him  to  decline  a  very  pressing  invita- 
tion from  Mr.  Brown,  urging  him  to  take  the  Mission 
Church  at  the  Presidency.  Dinapore  was  in  the  midst 
of  the  heathen ;  and  Dinapore,  further,  was  a  scene  of 
tranquil  retirement.  These  two  considerations  caused 
Mr.  Martyn  to  refuse  to  comply  with  the  very  earnest 
desire  of  one  whom  he  entirely  esteemed  and  loved. 
u  If  ever  I  am  fixed  at  Calcutta,"  he  wrote  in  reply, 


HENRY   MARTYN.  240 

"I  have  done  with  the  natives;  for,  notwithstanding 
previous  determinations,  the  churches  and  people  at 
Calcutta  are  enough  to  employ  twenty  ministers.  This 
is  one  reason  for  my  apparently  unconquerable  aver- 
sion to  being  fixed  there.  The  happiness  of  being  near 
and  with  you  and  your  dear  family,  would  not  be  a 
compensation  for  this  disappointment;  and  having 
said  this,  I  know  of  no  stronger  method  of  expressing 
my  dislike  to  the  measure.  If  God  commands  it,  I 
trust  I  shall  have  grace  to  obey :  but  let  me  beseech 
you  all  to  take  no  step  towards  it ;  for  I  shall  resist  it 
as  long  as  I  can  with  a  safe  conscience." 

"I  am  happier  here,  in  this  remote  land,"  he  wrote 
in  his  journal,  "  where  I  hear  so  seldom  of  what  hap- 
pens in  the  world,  than  in  England,  where  there  are 
so  many  calls  to  look  at  •  the  things  that  are  seen.' 
How  sweet  the  retirement  in  which  I  here  live !  The 
precious  word  is  now  my  only  study,  in  the  work  of 
translation.  Though  in  a  manner  buried  to  the  world, 
neither  seeing  nor  seen  by  Europeans,  the  time  flows 
on  here  with  great  rapidity  :  it  seems  as  if  life  would 
be  gone  before  any  thing  is  done,  or  even  before  any 
is  begun.  I  sometimes  rejoice  that  I  am  not  twenty- 
seven  years  of  age ;  and  that,  unless  God  should  order 
it  otherwise,  I  may  double  the  number  in  constant 
and  successful  labor.  If  not,  God  has  many,  many 
more  instruments  at  command;  and  I  shall  not  cease 
from  my  happiness,  and  scarcely  from  my  work,  by 
departing  into  another  world.  Oh!  what  shall  sepa- 
rate us  from  the  love  of  Christ!  Neither  death  nor 
life,  I  am  persuaded.  Oh!  let  me  feel  my  security, 
that  I  may  be,  as  it  were,  already  in  heaven ;  that  I 


246  MEMOIR   OF 

may  do  all  my  work  as  the  angels  do  theirs;  and  O  ! 
let  me  be  ready  for  every  work !  be  ready  to  leave 
this  delightful  solitude,  or  remain  in  it — to  go  out,  or 
go  in — to  stay,  or  depart,  just  as  the  Lord  shall  ap- 
point. Lord,  let  me  have  no  will  of  my  own ;  nor  con- 
sider my  true  happiness  as  depending  in  the  smallest 
degree  on  any  thing  that  can  befall  my  outward  man  ; 
but  as  consisting  altogether  in  conformity  to  God's 
will.  May  I  have  Christ  here  with  me  in  this  world, 
not  substituting  imagination  in  the  place  of  faith  ;  but 
seeing  outward  things  as  they  really  are,  and  thus  ob- 
taining a  radical  conviction  of  their  vanity. 

Mr.  Martyn's  spirits  being  much  depressed  by  his 
recent  affliction,  an  invitation,  or  rather  entreaty,  so 
strongly  pressed  upon  him  by  one  who  had  a  great 
share  in  his  affection  and  esteem,  but  which  called,  as 
he  conceived,  for  a  direct  and  firm  rejection,  could  not 
but  be  a  matter  of  some  disquiet  to  him.  He  had  not, 
however,  the  additional  pain  of  witnessing  the  slight- 
est variation  in  his  friend's  attachment;  a  circum- 
stance which  does  not  always  occur  on  similar  occa- 
sions; for  the  fondness  even  of  Christian  friendship 
will  sometimes  suffer  an  interruption  from  a  disagree- 
ment respecting  favorite  projects  and  designs. 

To  this  perturbation  of  mind,  comparatively  light, 
a  very  severe  disappointment  from  another  quarter 
succeeded — a  disappointment  intended  doubtless,  like 
his  other  troubles,  for  the  augmentation  of  his  faith. 
Such  strong  representations  had  been  made  by  those 
whose  judgment  he  highly  valued,  respecting  the  drea- 
riness of  a  distant  station  in  India  and  the  evils  of  so- 
litude, that  he  had  deemed  it  agreeable  to  the  will  of 


HENRY    MARTY N.  247 

God  to  make  an  overture  of  marriage  to  her,  for  whom 
time  had  increased,  rather  than  diminished,  his  affec- 
tion. This  overture,  for  reasons  which  afterwards 
commended  themselves  to  Mr.  Marty n's  own  judg- 
ment, was  now  declined ;  on  which  occasion,  suffer- 
ing sharply  as  a  man,  but  most  meekly  as  a  Christian, 
he  said,  "The  Lord  sanctify  this  ;  and  since  this  last 
desire  of  my  heart  is  also  withheld,  may  I  turn  away 
for  ever  from  the  world,  and  henceforth  live  forgetful 
of  all  but  God.  With  thee,  O  my  God,  is  no  disap- 
pointment. I  shall  never  have  cause  to  regret  that  I 
have  loved  thee  too  well.  Thou  hast  said,  '  Delight 
thyself  in  the  Lord,  and  he  shall  give  thee  the  desires 
of  thy  heart.' " 

"At  first  I  was  more  grieved,"  he  wrote  some  time 
afterwards,  "at  the  loss  of  my  gourd,  than  for  all  the 
perishing  Ninevehs  around  me:  but  now  my  earthly 
woes  and  earthly  attachments  seem  to  be  absorbing  in 
the  vast  concern  of  communicating  the  Gospel  to  these' 
nations.  After  this  last  lesson  from  God,  on  the  va- 
nity of  the  creature,  I  feel  desirous  to  be  nothing — to 
have  nothing — to  ask  for  nothing  but  what  he  gives." 

Providentially  for  Mr.  Martyn's  comfort,  his  thoughts 
were  much  occupied,  just  after  the  receipt  of  this  let- 
ter, by  the  arrival  of  his  coadjutors  in  the  work  ot 
translation.  One  of  them,  Mirza  of  Benares,  was  well 
known  in  India  as  an  eminent  Hindoostanee  scholar  ; 
the  other,  Sabat  the  Arabian,  since  but  too  well  known 
both  in  India  and  England,  by  his  rejection  of  that 
faith  which  he  then  appeared  to  profess  in  sincerity 
and  truth.  In  the  latter  of  these  Mr.  Martyn  confident- 
ly trusted  that  he  had  found  a  Chrisiian  brother.   Nor 


248  MEMOIR   OF 

were  these  hopes  respecting  Sabat's  religious  charac- 
ter more  sanguine  than  both  in  reason  and  charity  he 
might  fairly  have  entertained.  Of  his  abilities  a  most 
favorable  report  had  been  made  by  Dr.  Kerr,  of  Mad- 
ras, who  represented  him  as  a  man  of  good  family  in 
Arabia — as  having  been  employed  as  an  expounder  of 
Mohammedan  law  at  Masulipatam — and  as  being  well 
skilled  in  the  literature  of  his  country.  With  respect 
to  the  reality  of  his  belief  in  Christianity,  although 
Mr.  Marty n  immediately  discovered  in  him  an  un- 
subdued Arab  spirit,  and  witnessed,  with  pain,  many 
deflections  from  that  temper  and  conduct  which  he 
himself  so  eminently  exemplified,  yet  he  could  not  but 
"  believe  all  things,  and  hope  all  things,"  even  while 
he  continued  to  suffer  much  from  him,  and  for  a 
length  of  time,  with  unparalleled  forbearance  and 
kindness.  How  could  he  allow  himself  to  cherish  any 
doubt,  when  he  beheld  the  tears  he  shed  in  prayer,  and 
listened  to  the  confessions  he  made  of  his  sinfulness, 
and  to  the  professions  he  uttered  of  his  willingness  to 
correct  whatever  was  reprehensible  in  his  behavior  ? 
No  sooner  had  he  arrived  at  Dinapore,  than  he  opened 
to  Mr.  Martyn  the  state  of  his  mind  ;  declaring,  with 
seeming  contrition,  that  the  constant  sin  he  found  in 
his  heart  filled  him  witli  fear.  "  If  the  spirit  of  Christ 
is  given  to  believers,  why,"  said  he,  "am  I  thus,  after 
three  years'  believing  ?  I  determine  every  day  to  keep 
Christ  crucified  in  sight ;  but  soon  I  forget  to  think  of 
him.  I  can  rejoice  when  I  think  of  God's  love  in 
Christ:  but  then  I  am  like  a  sheep  that  feeds  happily 
whilst  he  looks  only  at  the  pasturage  before  him  ;  but 
vhen  he  looks  behind,  and  sees  the  lion,  he  cannot 


HENRY   MARTYN.  249 

eat."  "  His  life,"  he  avowed,  "  was  of  no  value  to  him ; 
the  experience  he  had  had  of  the  instability  of  the 
world  had  weaned  him  from  it;  his  heart  was  like  a 
looking-glass,  fit  for  nothing  except  to  be  given  to  the 
glass-maker  to  be  moulded  anew."  Can  we  wonder 
concerning  one  who  uttered,  with  apparent  sincerity 
and  much  earnestness,  sentiments  such  as  these,  that 
Mr.  Martyn  should  observe  to  Mr.  Brown,  who  had 
sent  him  from  Calcutta  to  Dinapore,  that  "  not  to  es- 
teem him  a  monument  of  grace,  and  to  love  him,  is 
impossible?"  And  truly,  notwithstanding  all  that  time 
has  since  developed,  who  will  not  hesitate  in  attribut- 
ing to  Sabat  the  guilt  of  a  systematic  and  well-con- 
certed tissue  of  hypocrisy ;  and  prefer  to  conclude 
that  his  judgment  was  at  that  time  enlightened,  and 
his  heart  in  some  measure  impressed  with  a  sense  of 
what  he  believed?  Very  soon,  indeed,  was  Mr.  Mar- 
tyn called  to  rejoice  over  this  Mohammedan  convert 
with  great  fear  and  trembling  ;  for  scarcely  had  he 
reached  Dinapore,  when  the  violence  of  his  temper 
began  to  manifest  itself.  The  first  Sunday  after  his  ar- 
rival, on  coming  to  church,  conceiving  that  all  due 
respect  was  not  shown  him,  he  would  not  wait  till 
service  began,  but  abruptly  left  the  church  and  re- 
turned home ;  yet,  on  Mr.  Martyn's  expostulations  on 
his  turning  his  back  upon  the  house  of  God,  on  ac- 
count of  an  insult  which  was  unintended,  he  instantly 
confessed,  with  seeming  humiliation,  that  he  had  two 
dispositions;  the  one,  his  old  one,  which  was  a  sol- 
dier's, and  the  other  a  Christian's. 

Many  other  signs  of  an  unhumbled  spirit  in  Sabat 
gave  rise  to  differences  which  were  singulaily  distress- 


250  MEMOIR   OF 

ing  to  a  man  of  such  meekness  as  Mr.  Martyn.  Even 
before  the  conclusion  of  that  year,  which  when  Sabat 
entered  under  Mr.  Martyn's  roof  was  drawing  to  a 
close,  he  was  so  grieved  at  his  spirit  that  he  could  find 
relief  only  in  prayer  for  him.  Yet,  however  disquieted 
lie  might,  and  could  not  but  be,  at  what  he  was  called 
hourly  to  witness  in  one  brought  into  such  near  con- 
tact with  him,  and  bearing  the  name  of  a  Christian 
brother,  his  own  mind  nevertheless  enjoyed  a  large 
measure  of  "that  perfect  peace"  in  which  those  are 
kept  whose  minds  are  stayed  on  God.  He  was  con- 
tinually "  rejoicing  in  the  solid  ground  of  Jesus'  im- 
puted righteousness ;"  the  greatness,  the  magnificence, 
the  wisdom  of  which  filled  his  mind  ;  he  was  conti- 
nually thinking,  "  Oh  !  how  is  every  hour  lost  that  is 
not  spent  in  the  love  and  contemplation  of  God,  my 
God  !  O  send  out  thy  light  and  thy  truth,  that  I  may 
live  always  sincerely,  always  affectionately  towards 
Thee  !" — "  To  live  without  sin  I  cannot  expect  in  this 
world  ;  but  to  desire  to  live  without  it,  may  be  the  ex- 
perience of  every  moment."  And  he  closed  the  year 
like  him  who,  at  the  end  of  a  psalm  of  hoty  and  joyful 
aspirations,  exclaims,  "  I  have  gone  astray  like  a  lost 
sheep,"  in  the  following  strain  of  brokenness  of  spirit 
and  abasement  of  soul :  "  I  seem  to  myself  permitted 
to  exist  only  through  the  inconceivable  compassion  of 
God.  When  I  think  of  my  shameful  incapacity  for  the 
ministry,  arising  from  my  own  neglect,  I  see  reason  to 
tremble,  though  I  cannot  weep.  I  feel  willing  to  be  a  neg- 
lected outcast,  unfit  to  be  made  useful  to  others,  provid- 
ed my  dear  brethren  are  prosperous  in  their  ministry." 
In  the  midst  of  various  weighty  employments,  and 


HENRY    MARTY'X.  251 

of  much  tribulation,  Mr.  Martyn  passed  into  the  year 
1808;  on  the  first  day  of  which  he  thus  ieverted  to  his 
past  life :  "  Few  or  no  changes  have  occurred  in  the 
course  of  the  last  yean  I  have  been  more  settled  than 
for  many  years  past.  The  events  which  have  taken 
place,  most  nearly  interesting  to  myself  are  my  sister's 

death,  and  my  disappointment  about  L ;  on  both 

these  afflictions  I  have  seen  love  inscribed,  and  that  is 
enough.  What  I  think  I  waitf,  it  is  better  still  to  want : 
but  I  am  often  wearied  with  this  world  of  wo.  I  set 
my  affections  on  the  creature,  and  am  then  torn  from 
it;  and  from  various  other  causes,  particularly  the  pre- 
valence of  sin  in  my  heart,  I  am  often  so  full  of  me- 
lancholy that  I  hardly  know  what  to  do  for  relief. 
Sometimes  I  say,  '  O  that  I  had  wings  like  a  dove, 
then  would  I  flee  away  and  be  at  rest ;'  at  other  times, 
in  my  sorrow  about  the  creature,  I  have  no  wish  lefr 
for  my  heavenly  rest.  It  is  the  grace  and  favor  of  God 
that  have  saved  me  hitherto  :  my  ignorance,  wayward- 
ness and  wickedness,  would  long  since  have  plunged 
me  into  misery  j  but  there  seems  to  be  a  mighty  exer- 
tion of  mercy  and  grace  upon  my  sinful  nature,  every 
day,  to  keep  me  from  perishing  at  last.  My  attainments 
in  the  divine  life,  in  this  last  year,  seem  to  be  none  at 
all;  I  appear,  on  the  contrary,  to  be  more  self-willed 
and  perverse  ;  and  more  like  many  of  my  countrymen, 
in  arrogance  and  a  domineering  spirit  over  the  natives. 
The  Lord  save  me  from  my  wickedness  !  Henceforth 
let  my  soul,  humbly  depending  upon  the  grace  of 
Christ,  perfect  holiness  in  the  fear  of  God,  and  show 
towards  a].7,  whether  Europeans  or  natives,  the  mind 
that  was  1L  Christ  Jesus." 


252  MEMCifl  Of 

In  the  beginning  of  this  year  Mr.  Martyn's  situation 
at  Dinapore  was  rendered  far  less  agreeable  than  here- 
tofore—much as  he  loved  retirement — by  the  remo- 
val of  the  only  family  with  whom  he  lived  upon  terms 
of  Christian  intimacy  ;  a  family  for  whom  he  had  no 
common  affection ;  to  whom  he  had  been  the  means 
of  first  imparting  serious  impressions;  whom  he  had 
exhorted,  watched  over,  and  prayed  for  ;  and  whom  he 
unceasingly  followed  with  his  intercessions,  when  he 
could  no  longer  reach  them  with  his  exhortations. 

"  The  departure  of ,"  he  writes,  "  seemed  to  leave 

me  without  human  comfort,'  my  regard  for  them  has 
increased  very  much  of  late ;  I  have  seen  marks  of 
grace  more  evidently.  It  is  painful  to  be  deprived  of 
them  just  at  this  time;  yet  the  Lord  knoweth  them 
that  are  his,  and  will  keep  them,  through  faith,  unto 
eternal  salvation."  The  following  is  an  extract  of  a 
letter  to  Mrs. on  this  occasion : 

"  Dinapore,  January  8, 1808. 

r  Your  departure  has  left  the  Arab  and  me  in  such 
gloom,  that  I  cannot  yet  find  in  his  society  a  supply 
for  yours.  I  still  continue,  therefore,  one  of  your 
camp  followers,  often  every  day  accompanying  you 
m  my  thoughts  as  you  travel  along;  and  I  now  des-» 
patch  some  China  paper,  to  overtake  you,  and  assure 
you  once  more  of  my  good  wishes  and  prayers.  After 
leaving  you  on  Monday,  I  crossed  the  river  and  so- 
lemnized the  nuptials  of  — ,  without  the  interven- 
tion of  any  thing  untoward.  Next  morning,  at  Patna, 
I  walked  out  in  hopes  of  having  one  more  sight  of  the 
battalion  and  my  friends  in  it.    But  some  of  the  slow- 


HENRY   MARTYN.  553 

moving  baggage  hackeries  only,  in  tne  rear,  showed 
where  you  had  passed.  The  nearness  of  your  second 
day's  camp  was  a  strong  temptation  to  add  myself 
again  to  your  number ;  and  it  might  have  h^w  easily 
accomplished ;  but  the  pain  of  repeated  farewells  de- 
terred me  from  going.  So  I  set  my  face  towards  Di- 
napore  again ;  and  now,  as  often  as  I  traverse,  in  my 
evening  walk,  the  spot  where  the  pale  grass  marks 
your  former  abode ;  and  as  often  as  I  bring  out  the 
Koran  from  the  book-room,  without  taking  up  the  He- 
brew for  you,  I  join  with  Sabat  in  regretting  that  'the 
faithful  is  gone.'  But  only  continue  to  deserve  the 
name,  my  dear  friends,  and  we  shall  sorrow  the  less 
at  your  departure.  Cleave  to  him  in  duty,  in  affection, 
in  bearing  his  reproach,  and  we  are  never  separated. 
If  I  am  so  happy  as  to  hear  good  tidings  of  you,  and 
that  you  grow  in  faith  and  love,  I  shall  be  contented. 
Friendship  must  not  selfishly  repine  at  a  separation 
appointed  by  God.     Yesterday  a  letter  came  from 

P ,  who  says  that  trials  are  awaiting  you;  that 

your  gay  friends  will  oppose,  &c. ;  but  enter  Burham- 
pore  armed  with  strong  resolutions,  and  depending  on 
the  grace  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  you  will  stand 
firm." 

This  separation  affected  him  the  more  sensibly,  be- 
cause it  was  not  in  every  family  at  that  station  that  he 
met  with  a  kind,  much  less  a  cordial  reception.  "  I  call- 
ed," says  he,  "  on  the  15th  of  January,  on  one  of  the 
Dinapore  families,  and  felt  my  pride  rise  at  the  uncivil 
manner  in  which  I  was  received.  I  was  disposed  at 
first  to  determine  never  to  visit  the  house  again,  but  I 
remembered  the  words,  'Overcome  evil  with  good.'" 
22 


254  MEMOIR  OP 

So  much  as  Mr.  Martyn  was  concerned  for  the  sal- 
vation of  the  heathen,  it  will  readily  be  surmised  that 
the  state  of  the  native  Christians,  sunk  as  they  were 
into  a  condition  of  equal  ignorance  and  wickedness 
with  the  heathen,  would  excite  his  peculiar  sympathy 
and  anxiety.  Their  lamentable  case  was  never  for- 
gotten by  him.  At  the  commencement  of  the  present 
year,  especially,  it  lay  so  near  his  heart  that  he  re- 
solved to  ascertain  what  might  be  effected  at  Patna  in 
behalf  of  those  wretched  people  who  "  had  a  name  to 
live,  but  were  dead."  Without  loss  of  time,  therefore, 
he  made  an  offer  to  the  Roman  Catholics  there,  of 
preaching  to  them  on  Sundays  ;  but  the  proposal  was 
rejected.  Had  it  been  accepted,  he  proposed  to  have 
made  it  the  ground-work  of  a  more  extensive  publica- 
tion of  the  Gospel  to  the  inhabitants  at  large.  "  Mil- 
lions perishing,"  he  said,  much  affected  at  the  reflec 
tion,  "  in  the  neighborhood  of  one  who  can  preach  the 
Gospel  to  them !  how  wonderful !  I  trust  the  Lord 
will  soon  open  a  great  and  effectual  door.  O  for  faith, 
zeal,  courage,  love !" 

In  consequence  of  the  state  of  the  weather  at  this 
season  of  the  year,  the  public  celebration  of  divine 
service  on  the  Sabbath  was  suspended  for  a  considera- 
ble time  at  Dinapore ;  a  circumstance  as  painful  to 
Mr.  Martyn,  as  it  was  pleasing  to  the  careless  and 
worldly  part  of  his  congregation.  Upon  the  serious  in- 
convenience, and  yet  more  serious  detriment  to  the 
spiritual  interest  of  his  flock,  arising  from  the  want  of 
a  church,  he  had  already  presented,  a  memorial  to  the 
governor-general ;  and  orders  to  provide  a  proper 
place  for  public  worship  had  been  issued  :  nothing  ef- 


HENRY    MARTYN.  255 

fectual,  however,  was  yet  done;  and  Mr.  Martyn's  love 
for  the  souls  intrusted  to  him  not  allowing  him  to  bear 
the  thought  of  their  being  scattered  for  a  length  of 
time,  as  sheep  without  a  shepherd ;  he  came  to  the 
resolution  of  opening  his  own  house,  as  a  place  in 
which  the  people  might  assemble  in  this  emergency. 
About  the  middle  of  February  he  writes,  "  As  many 
of  the  European  regiment  as  were  effective  were  ac- 
commodated under  my  roof;  and,  praised  be  God, 
we  had  the  public  ordinances  once  more.  My  text  was 
from  Isaiah,  4:5.  '  The  Lord  will  create  upon  every 
dwelling-place  of  Mount  Zion,  and  upon  her  assem- 
blies, a  cloud  and  smoke  by  day,  and  the  shining  of  a 
flaming  fire  by  night :  for  upon  all,  the  glory  shall  be 
a  defence.'  In  the  afternoon  I  waited  for  the  women, 
but  not  one  came :  perhaps,  by  some  mistake,  notice 
had  not  been  given  them.  At  the  hospital,  and  with 
the  men  at  night,  I  was  engaged,  as  usual,  in  prayer; 
my  soul  panted  after  the  living  God,  but  it  remained 
tied  and  bound  with  corruption.  I  felt  as  if  I  could  have 
given  the  world  to  be  brought  to  be  alone  with  God ; 
and  the  promise  that  '  this  is  the  will  of  God,  even  our 
sanctification,'  was  the  right  hand  that  upheld  me  while 
I  followed  after  him.  When  low  in  spirits,  through 
an  unwillingness  to  take  up  the  cross,  I  found  myself 
more  resigned  in  endeavoring  to  realize  the  thought 
which  had  often  composed  me  in  my  trials  on  board 
the  ship,  namely,  that  I  was  born  to  suffer ;  that  suf- 
fering is  my  appointed  daily  portion ;  let  this  reconcile 
me  to  every  thing.  To  have  a  will  of  my  own,  not 
agreeable  to  God's,  is  a  most  tremendous  wickedness. 
I  own  it  is  so,  for  a  few  moments ;  but,  Lord,  write  it 


256  MEMOIR  OF 

on  my  heart.  In  perfect  meekness  and  resignation 
let  me  take  whatever  befalls  me  in  the  path  of  duty, 
and  never  dare  to  think  of  being  dissatisfied." 

As  far  as  it  respected  Mr.  Marty n's  health,  a  tempo- 
rary interruption  of  his  ministerial  duty  would  have 
proved  a  favorable  occurrence ;  he  was  beginning  again 
to  suffer  from  some  severe  pains  in  the  chest,  which 
first  attacked  him  in  the  autumn  of  the  preceding  year. 
Desiring  to  be  as  "  a  flame  of  fire  in  the  service  of  his 
God,  and  panting  for  the  full  employment  of  every 
day,"  the  early  morning,  as  well  as  the  closing  even- 
ing, found  him  engaged  in  his  delightful  labors ;  but 
he  perceived  that  the  body  could  not  keep  pace  with 
the  soul,  in  this  career  of  unceasing  activity:  "the 
earthly  tabernacle  weighed  down  the  spirit,  whilst 
musing  upon  many  things,"  and  compelled  him,  for  a 
while  at  least,  to  moderate  the  vehemence  of  these 
exertions.  By  the  month  of  March,  however,  the  great 
work,  for  which  myriads  in  the  ages  yet  to  come  will 
gratefully  remember  and  revere  the  name  of  Martyn, 
the  Version  of  the  New  Testament  in  Hindoostanee 
was  brought  to  a  completion  ;  nor,  if  we  consider  how 
much  time  he  had  spent  upon  it  ever  since  he  arrived 
at  Calcutta,  and  how  laboriously  he  prosecuted  it  after 
Mr.  Brown  had  summoned  him  to  direct  all  his  efforts 
to  that  end,  can  it  be  affirmed  that  it  was  hurried  to  a 
conclusion  with  a  heedless  and  blamable  precipitancy  ? 

"  Twas  not  the  hasty  product  of  a  day, 
"But  the  well-ripened  fruit  of  wise  delay." 

"  It  is  a  real  refreshment  to  my  spirit,"  Mr.  Martyn 
remarks  to  Mr.  Corrie,  just  at  the  moment  of  sending 
off  the  first  page  of  the  Testament  to  Calcutta,  in  the 


HENRY   MARTYN.  257 

beginning  of  April,  "  to  take  up  my  pen  to  write  to 
you.  Such  a  week  of  labor  I  believe  I  never  passed, 
not  excepting  even  the  last  week  before  going  into  the 
Senate-House.  I  have  read  and  corrected  the  manu- 
script copies  of  my  Hindoostanee  Testament  so  often 
that  my  eyes  ache.  The  heat  is  terrible,  often  at  98°  ; 
the  nights  insupportable."  Such  was  his  energy  in  a 
climate  tending  to  beguile  him  into  ease  and  indolence ; 
so  entirely  "  whatsoever  he  had  to  do,"  did  he  "do  it 
with  all  his  might." 

Throughout  the  remainder  of  the  year  1808,  till  his 
removal  to  Cawnpore,  Mr.  Martyn's  life  flowed  on  in 
the  same  tranquil  course  of  usefulness  and  uniformity. 
He  was  occupied  in  revising  the  sheets  of  the  Hindoos- 
tanee version  of  the  New  Testament,  which  he  had 
completed ;  he  superintended  the  Persian  translation 
confided  to  Sabat ;  he  gave  himself  to  the  study  of 
Arabic,  that  he  might  be  qualified  to  take  part  with 
Sabat  in  another  version  of  the  New  Testament  into 
that  tongue;  he  continued  also  to  minister  to  the  Eu- 
ropeans and  the  natives  at  the  hospital ;  and  he  daily 
received  the  more  religious  part  of  his  flock  at  his  own 
house  whilst  his  health  permitted.  A  serious  attack, 
similar  to  that  which  he  experienced  on  his  journey  to 
Portsmouth,  occurred  towards  the  end  of  the  summer, 
and  was  productive  of  the  following  effusion,  bearing 
a  pre-eminent  impress  of  the  Spirit  of  God.  No  one, 
surely,  ever  touched  a  string  more  in  union  with  the 
harps  of  angels  and  saints  in  light,  than  he  who  wrote 
thus  on  the  evening  of  a  day  expected  to  be  his  last. 

"I  little  thought  to  have  had  my  faith  brought  to  a 
trial  so  r  on.  This  morning,  while  getting  up,  i  found 


258  MEMOIR  OF 

a  pain  in  the  centre  of  my  body,  which  increased  to 
such  a  degree  that  fever  and  vertigo  came  on,  and  I 
fainted.  The  dreadful  sensation  was  like  what  I  once 
felt  in  England,  but  by  no  means  so  violent  or  long 
continued — as  then,  also,  I  was  alone.  After  recover- 
ing my  senses,  and  lying  in  pain  which  made  me  al- 
most breathless,  I  turned  my  thoughts  to  God;  and 
O !  praise  to  his  grace  and  love,  I  felt  no  fear  ;  but  I 
prayed  earnestly  that  I  might  have  a  little  relief,  to 
set  my  house  in  order  and  make  my  will.  I  also 
thought,  with  pain,  of  leaving  the  Persian  Gospels  un- 
finished. By  means  of  some  ether,  the  Lord  gave  me 
ease,  and  I  made  my  will.  The  day  was  spent  in  great 
weakness,  but  my  heart  was  often  filled  with  the 
sweetest  peace  and  gratitude  for  the  precious  things 
God  hath  done  for  me." 

"I  found  delight  at  night  in  considering,  from  the 
beginning,  all  that  God  had  done  in  creation,  provi- 
dence, and]  grace,  for  my  soul.  O  God  of  love,  how 
shall  I  praise  thee !  happiness,  bliss  for  ever,  lies  be- 
fore me.  Thou  hast  brought  me  upon  this  stage  of  life 
to  see  what  sin  and  misery  are ;  myself,  alas !  most 
deepl)'  partaking  in  both.  But  the  days  and  the  works 
of  my  former  state,  fraught  with  danger  and  with 
death,  are  no  more ;  and  the  God  of  benevolence  and 
love  hath  opened  to  me  brighter  prospects.  Thine  I 
am  ;  '  My  beloved  is  mine,  and  I  am  his ;  and  now  I 
want  none  but  Thee.  I  am  alone  with  Thee  in  this 
world;  and  when  I  put  off  this  mortal  tabernacle,  I 
shall  still  be  with  Thee,  whatever  that  unknown 
change  may  be ;  and  I  shall  be  before  Thee,  not  to  re- 
ceive honor,  but  to  ascribe  praise.  Yes !  I  shall  then 


HENRY   MARTYN.  259 

have  power  to  express  my  feelings ;  I  shall  then,  with- 
out intermission,  see  and  love,  and  no  cloud  of  sor- 
row overcast  my  mind.  I  shall  then  sing,  in  worthy, 
everlasting  strains,  the  praises  of  that  divine  Redeem- 
er, whose  works  of  love  now  reach  beyond  my  con- 
ception ! 

From  the  even  tenor  of  his  life  at  this  period,  it  can- 
not be  expected  that  incidents  of  a  very  striking  na- 
ture should  arise;  yet  the  description  which  he  him- 
self has  given  of  it  in  the  following  extracts,  drawn 
chiefly  from  a  free  and  frequent  correspondence  with 
his  endeared  friends  and  brethren,  the  Rev.  David 
Brown,  and  the  Rev.  Daniel  Corrie,  will  not  be  wholly 
devoid  of  interest  to  those  who  have  hitherto  watched 
him,  with  love  and  admiration,  on  his  way  to  heaven. 

"  April  16,  1808, 
"  This  day  I  have  received  yours  of  the  8th :  like 
the  rest  of  your  letters,  it  sets  my  thoughts  on  full 
gallop,  from  which  I  can  hardly  recover  my  breath. 
Sabat's  letter  I  hesitate  to  give  him,  lest  it  should  make 
him  unhappy  again.  He  is  at  this  moment  more  quiet 
and  Christian  in  his  deportment  than  I  have  yet  seen 
him.  Arabic  now  employs  my  few  moments  of  lei- 
sure. In  consequence  of  reading  the  Koran  with  Sa- 
bat  audibly,  and  drinking  no  wine,  the  slander  has 
gone  forth  amongst  the  Christians  at  Patna,  that  the 
Dinapore  Padre  has  turned  Mussulman. 
"  To  the  Rev.  D.  Brown:* 

"  April  26,  1808. 
uThis  day  I  sent  off  a  chapter  of  Hindoostanee,  of 
St.  Matthew.   The  name  I  design  for  my  work  is— 


260  MEMOIR   OP 

Benoni,  the  son  of  my  affliction ;  for  through  great 
tribulation  will  it  come  out.  Sabat  has  kept  me  much 
upon  the  fret  this  week.  When  he  had  reached  the 
ninth  chapter,  the  idea  seized  him  that  Mirza  might 
receive  some  honor  from  his  inspecting  the  work.  He 
stopped  immediately ;  and,  say  what  I  will,  he  deter- 
mines not  to  give  me  the  smallest  help  in  correcting 
the  Hindoostanee. 

"  To  the  Rev.  D.  Broun:' 

"  May  9th,  1808. 

"  Sabat,  having  one  of  his  h.ead-aches,  leaves  me 
at  liberty  to  take  a  complete  sheet.  This  week  has 
passed  as  usual,  in  comparing  the  Persian  and  Greek ; 
yet  we  are  advanced  no  further  than  the  end  of  the 
15th  of  Matthew.  Notwithstanding  the  vexation  and 
disappointment  Sabat  has  occasioned  me,  I  have  en- 
joyed a  more  peaceable  week  than  ever  since  his 
arrival.  I  do  not  know  how  you  find  the  heat,  but  here 
it  is  dreadful :  in  one  person's  quarters  yesterday  it 
was  at  102°:  perhaps  it  was  on  that  account  that  scarce- 
ly any  women  came.  Another  reason  I  assign  is,  that 
I  rebuked  one  of  them  last  Sunday,  yet  very  gently, 
for  talking  and  laughing  in  the  church  before  I  came  ; 
so  yesterday  they  showed  their  displeasure  by  not 
coming  at  all.  I  spoke  to  them  on  the  parable  of  the 
great  supper.  The  old  woman,  who  is  always  so  ex- 
emplary in  her  attention,  shed  many  tears.  I  have 
sometimes  endeavored  to  speak  to  her,  but  she  de- 
clines conversation.  I  feel  interested  about  her,  there 
is  so  much  sorrow  and  meekness  depicted  in  her 
countenance ;  but  she  always  crosses  herself  after  the 
service  is  over.     My  Europeans  this  week  have  not 


HENRY   MARTYN.  261 

attended  very  well ;  fifteen  only,  instead  of  twenty- 
five  :  some  of  them,  indeed,  are  in  the  hospital ;  and 
the  hospital  is  a  town  of  itself ;— how  shall  I  ever  be 
faithful  to  them  all? 

"  To  the  Rev.  D.  Corrie?' 

' May  31,  1808. 

"  Yours  of  the  24th  instant  arrived  to-day,  and  re- 
lieved me  from  much  anxiety  respecting  your  own 
health.  Still  you  do  not  say  whether  the  Hindoos- 
tanee  sheets  have  arrived.  I  do  not  wonder  at  your  in- 
quiring about  the  Persian.  To-day  we  finish  compar- 
ing St.  Matthew  with  the  Greek,  if  it  may  be  called  a 
comparison;  for,  partly  owing  to  the  errors  of  the 
scribe,  rendering  whole  verses  unintelligible ;  and 
partly  on  account  of  Sabat's  anxiety  to  preserve  the 
rhythm,  which  often  requires  the  change  of  a  whole 
sentence  for  a  single  word — it  is  a  new  translation. 
We  have  labored  hard  at  it  to-day ;  from  six  in  the 
morning  till  four  in  the  afternoon. 

"  To  the  Rev.  D.  Brown" 

"June  6,  1808. 
"To-day  we  have  completed  the  Persian  of  St, 
Matthew,  and  to-morrow  it  is  to  be  sent  off  to  be  print- 
ed. Sabat  desired  me  to  kneel  down  to  bless  God  for 
the  happy  event,  and  we  joined  in  praise  of  '  the  Fa- 
ther of  Lights.'  It  is  a  superb  performance  in  every 
respect.  Sabat  is  prodigiously  proud  of  it.  I  wish 
some  mistakes  may  not  be  found  in  it,  to  put  him  to 
shame.  Among  the  events  of  the  last  wTeek  is  the 
earthquake.  We  were  just  reading  the  passage  of  the 
24th  of  Matthew,  on  '  earthquakes  in  divers  places,' 
when  I  felt  my  chair  shake  under  me ;  then  some 


262  MEMOIR   OP 

pieces  of  the  plaster  fell ;  on  which  I  sprang  up  and 
ran  out :  the  doors  had  still  a  tremulous  motion.  The 
edition  of  the  Gospel  must  be  announced  as  '  printed  at 
the  expense  of  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society. 

"  To  tlxe  Rev.  D.  Corrie." 

"  Jime  7,  1808. 

"  This  day  we  have  sent  the  Persian  of  St.  Matthew 
Sabat  is  not  a  little  proud  of  it.  Your  design  of  an- 
nouncing the  translation  as  printed  at  the  expense  of 
the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society,  I  highly  ap- 
prove ;  I  wish  to  see  honor  put  upon  so  godlike  an 
institution.  Mirza  returned  yesterday,  and  again  there 
are  symptoms  of  disquiet  in  Sabat.     Pray  for  us. 

"  To  the  Rev.  D.  Brown:'1 

u  Bunkipore,  June  23,  1808- 

"  I  groan  at  the  wickedness  and  infidelity  of  men, 
and  seem  to  stretch  my  neck  every  way  to  espy  a 
righteous  man.  All  at  Dinapore  treat  the  Gospel  with 
contempt ;  here  there  is  nothing  but  infidelity.  I  am 
but  just  arrived,  and  am  grieved  to  find  in  my  old 

friend less  proofs  of  real  acquaintance  with  the 

Gospel  than  I  used  to  hope.  On  my  way  here  I  called 

on  Col. ,  and  advised  him  to  marry  or  separate; 

the  alternative  I  am  ever  insisting  on.   As  soon  as  I 

arrived,  Mr. informed  me  that  the  reason  why  no 

one  came  to  hear  me,  was,  '  that  I  preached  faith  with- 
out works,  and  that  little  sins  are  as  bad  as  great  ones,' 
and  that  thus  I  tempted  them  to  become  great  sinners. 
A  young  civilian,  who  some  time  ago  came  to  me  de- 
siring satisfaction  on  the  evidences  of  Christianity,  and 
to  whom  I  spoke  very  freely,  and  with  some  regard, 
as  I  could  not  doubt  his  sincerity,  now  holds  me  up  to 


HENRY   MARTYN.  263 

ridicule.  Thus,  through  evil  report,  we  go  on.  Oh, 
thy  brother !  how  happy  I  feel,  that  all  have  not  for- 
saken Christ ;  that  I  am  not  left  alone  even  in  India. 
'  Cast  thy  burden  on  the  Lord,  and  he  shall  sustain 
thee,'  is  the  text  I  carry  about  with  me,  and  I  can  re- 
commend it  to  any  body  as  an  infallible  preservative 
from  the  fever  of  anxiety. 
"  To  the  Rev.  D.  Corrie." 

"  June  26,  1808. 
"  The  day  after  I  wrote  to  you  from  Bankipore,  1 
called  on  the  Nawaub,  Babir  Ali  Khan,  celebrated  for 
his  sense  and  liberality.  I  staid  two  hours  with  him, 
conversing  in  Persian,  but  badly.  He  began  the  theo- 
logical discussion  by  requesting  me  to  explain  necessi- 
ty and  free-will;  I  instantly  pleaded  ignorance.  He 
gave  his  own  opinion  ;  on  which  I  asked  him  for  his 
proofs  of  the  religion  of  Mohammed.  His  first  argu- 
ment was  the  eloquence  of  the  Koran,  but  he  at  last 
acknowledged  that  this  was  insufficient.  I  then  brought 
forward  a  passage  or  two  in  the  Koran,  containing  sen- 
timents manifestly  false  and  foolish  :  he  flourished  a 
good  deal,  but  concluded  by  saying  that  I  must  wait 
till  I  could  speak  Persian  better,  and  had  read  their 
logic.  His  whole  manner,  look,  authority,  and  copious- 
ness, reminded  me  constantly  of  Dr. .    This  was 

the  first  visit,  and  I  returned  highly  delighted  with  his 
sense,  candor,  and  politeness.  Two  days  after  I  went 
to  breakfast  with  him,  and  conversed  with  him  in  Hin- 
doostanee.  He  inquired  what  were  the  principles  of 
the  Christian  religion.  I  began  with  the  atonement,  the 
divinity  of  Christ,  the  corruption  of  human  nature,  the 


264  MEMOIR  OP 

necessity  of  regeneration,  and  a  holy  life.  He  seems 
to  wish  to  acquire  information,  but  discovers  no  spiri- 
tual desire  after  the  truth.  So  much  for  this  Mussul- 
man lord :  now  for  Antichrist  in  another  shape — the 
Popish  Padre,  Julius  Caesar.  I  asked  him  whether  the 
doctrine  I  had  heard  from  the  Franciscans  in  America 
was  his — Extra  Ecclesiam  Romanam  salus  non  esse 
potest?  (p.  168.)  He  said  that  it  was  a  question  on 
which  disputations  were  constantly  held  at  Rome.  By 
some  means  we  got  upon  the  additions  made  to  the 
Commandments  by  the  Church  of  Rome ;  he  said  that 
Christianity  without  councils,  was  a  city  without  walls  j 
and  that  Luther,  Calvin,  &c.  had  made  additions  j  all 
which  I  denied,  and  showed  him  the  last  verses  in  the 
Revelation.  Upon  the  whole,  our  conversation  seemed, 
without  benefit. 

"  To  the  R&o.  D.  Carrie:' 

(l  July  2,  1808. 

"  My  work  is  very  delightful  in  itself,  but  it  is  doubly 
so,  by  securing  me  so  much  of  your  correspondence. 
My  eyes  seized  your  beloved  hand- writing  with  more 
eagerness  than  even  if  the  letter  had  been  from  Europe. 
I  rejoice  with  you,  and  praise  God  for  one  Gospel  in 
Persian.  With  elegance  enough  to  attract  the  careless 
and  please  the  fastidious,  it  contains  enough  of  Eternal 
Life  to  save  the  reader's  soul ;  therefore,  if  we  do  no 
more,  we  are  happy  that  something  is  done.  We  are 
safe  with  the  Hindoostanee ;  it  wants  but  little  correc- 
tion, and  in  case  of  my  death,  could  be  easily  prepared 
by  any  one.  I  am  anxious  to  hear  of  the  new  plans 
you  are  about  to  propose  to  me :  let  them  not  be  in 
the  way  of  recreation;  my  only  exertion,  and  that 


HENRY    MARTYN.  265 

through  indolence,  is  small,  is  to  keep  my  heart  right- 
ly disposed  to  minister  to  my  congregation  at  night.  I 
shrink  from  the  idea  of  Sanscrit:  the  two  or  three 
months  I  spent  in  striving  to  penetrate  its  unwieldy 
grammar,  were  more  painful  to  me  than  any  since  the 
sorrowful  days  when  I  first  began  to  learn  Greek." 
"  To  the  Rev.  D.  Brown:' 

"  July  4,  1808. 
"I  have  received  no  letter  from  you  this  week. 
When  Sunday  came,  and  no  letter  arrived  from  you, 
I  began  to  entertain  the  romantic  notion  that  perhaps 
my  brother  himself  would  come  and  preach  for  me  at 
night.  I  am  now  on  my  way  to  Patna  by  water.  The 
Italian  Padre  came  to  Dinapore  again  on  Saturday, 
but  did  not  call  upon  me :  the  men  sent  him  a  letter, 
to  which  he  replied  in  French,  that  he  lamented  he 
could  not  speak  their  language,  but  should  remember 
them  in  his  prayers,  and  spoke  of  them  as  brethren  in 
Christ.  When  he  came  into  the  barracks,  the  Catho- 
lics crowded  around  him  by  hundreds,  and  in  a  tone 
of  triumph  pointed  out  his  dress — that  of  a  Franciscan 
friar — to  the  Protestants,  contrasting  it  with  that  of  a 
Clergyman  of  the  Church  of  England,  booted ,  and 
spurred,  and  ready  for  a  hunt.  The  Catholics  in  this 
regiment  amount  to  a  full  thousand — the  Protestants 
are  scarcely  discernible.  Who  would  think  that  we 
should  have  to  combat  Antichrist  again  at  this  day  ? 
I  feel  my  spirit  roused  to  preach  against  Popery  with 
all  the  zeal  of  Luther.  How  small  and  unimportant 
are  the  hair-splitting  disputes  of  the  blessed  people  at 
home,  compared  with  the  formidable  agents  of  the  de- 
vil with  whom  we  have  to  combat  here !  There  are 
23 


266  MEMOIR   OF 

four  casts  of  people  in  India :  the  first,  heathen ;  the 
second,  Mohammedans  ;  the  third,  Papists ;  the  fourth, 
infidels.  Now  I  trust  that  you  and  I  are  sent  to  fight 
this  four-faced  devil,  and  by  the  help  of  the  Lord  Je- 
sus, whom  we  serve,  we  will.  I  was  rather  apprehen- 
sive yesterday  that  my  female  hearers  would  have 
forsaken  me ;  but  they  came  as  usual ;  and  the  words, 
'  search  the  Scriptures,'  occurring  in  the  chapter  of  the 
day,  I  took  occasion  to  point  out  to  them  the  wicked- 
ness of  the  church  of  Rome,  in  forbidding  the  use  of 
the  Scriptures. 

"  To  the  Rev.  D.  Corrie.'i 

"  July  11,  1808. 

"A  loquacious  Brahmin  having  interrupted  us  in 
our  work,  I  leave  him  to  Sabat,  and  turn  my  thoughts 
with  more  pleasure  Chunar-ward.  My  last  letter 
left  me  at  Patna.  The  Catholic  Padre,  Julius  Caesar, 
had  gone  to  Dinapore  that  very  day,  to  say  mass;  but 
at  Babir  Ali's  I  met  with  a  very  agreeable  Armenian 
Padre,  named  Martin,  who  kept  my  tongue  employed 
nearly  the  whole  of  the  day.  I  tried  him  once  or  twice 
in  spiritual  things,  but  on  these  he  had  nothing  to  say. 
His  dress  was  a  little  black  cassock,  exactly  such  as 
we  wear,  or  ought  to  wear :  the  top  of  his  head  was 
shaved  like  the  Franciscans.  I  am  almost  ashamed  of 
my  secular  appearance  before  these  very  venerable  and 
appropriate  figures.  The  Catholics  in  the  regiment 
are  a  thousand  strong,  and  are  disposed  to  be  mali- 
cious:  they  respect  me,  however,  and  cannot  help 
thinking  that  I  have  been  taught  by  Roman  Catholics, 
or  have  been  in  some  way  connected  with  them:  at 
the  hospital,  the  greater  number  kept  themselves  aloof. 


HENRY    MARTYN.  267 

My  society,  this  week,  has  occasioned  me  great  trou- 
ble; one  man  was  the  occasion  of  it:  still  his  profes- 
sions, and  earnestness  not  to  be  excluded,  make  it  dif- 
ficult to  know  how  to  deal  with  him.  My  female 
hearers  do  not  give  me  half  such  encouragement 
as  yours ;  probably  because  I  do  not  take  such  pains 
with  them ;  yet  there  is  no  trouble  I  would  spare,  if  I 
knew  how  to  reach  their  minds.  They  were  only 
fourteen  yesterday.  I  spoke  to  them  on  the  text, 
'  Lord,  to  whom  shall  we  go  ?  thou  hast  the  words  of 
eternal  life.'  To  whom  shall  we  go?  To  the  Padre — 
to  the  Virgin  Mary — to  the  Saints — to  the  world — to 
works — to  repentance  ?   No :  to  Christ. 

"  To  tke  Rev.  D.  Corrie.v 

"  July  18,  1808. 

'c  I  mentioned  to  you  that  I  had  spoken  very  plainly 
to  the  women  last  Sunday,  on  the  delusions  of  the 
Papists  ;  yesterday  only  seven  came.  I  ascribed  it  to 
what  I  had  said  ;  but  to-day  Sabat  tells  me  that  they 
pour  contempt  upon  it  all.  Sabat,  instead  of  comforting 
and  encouraging  me  in  my  disappointments  and  trials, 
aggravates  my  pain  by  contemptuous  expressions  of 
the  perfect  inutility  of  continuing  to  teach  them.  He 
may  spare  his  sarcastic  remarks,  as  I  suppose  that, 
after  another  Sunday,  none  at  all  will  come.  I  find  no 
relief  but  in  prayer :  to  God  I  can  tell  all  my  griefs 
and  find  comfort.  Last  Tuesday  the  Padre,  Julius 
Caesar,  came  and  staid  with  me  four  hours.  We  ar- 
gued with  great  vehemence :  when  I  found  that  he 
had  nothing  to  say  in  defence  of  the  adoration  of  the 
Virgin  Mary  and  the  saints,  I  solemnly  charged  him 
and  his  church  with  the  sin  of  idolatry ;  he  started, 


268  MEMOIR    OF 

and  said  that  if  I  had  uttered  such  a  sentiment  in  Italy 
I  should  have  been  burned.  He  certainly  seems  sin- 
cere ;  and  at  one  time  he  lifted  up  his  eyes  and  prayed 
that  I  might  not  convert  him,  and  that  God  would 
never  suffer  the  Protestant  religion  to  enter  Italy.  His 
main  argument  against  me  was,  the  disorder  and  im- 
piety prevalent  among  the  Protestants  whom  he  had 
an  opportunity  of  observing  in  Geneva  and  Leghorn. 
rr,his  disputation  has  brought  us  to  be  quite  familiar 
in  our  acquaintance:  he  looked  over  all  my  books, 
and  found  a  French  one,  called  '  The  Crimes  of  the 
Popes  ;'  which  he  desired  to  have ;  but  recollected 
afterwards  that  his  coadjutor  might  see  it.  I  feel  a 
regard  for  him  j  he  is  a  serious  and  unassuming  young 
man. 

"  To  the  Rev.  D.  Carrie." 

"  August  1,  1808. 

"  One  day  this  week,  on  getting  up  in  the  morning, 
I  was  attacked  with  a  very  serious  illness.  I  thought 
I  was  leaving  this  world  of  sorrow ;  and,  praised  be 
the  God  of  grace,  I  felt  no  fear.  The  rest  of  the  day 
I  was  filled  with  sweet  peace  of  mind,  and  had  near 
access  to  God  in  prayer.  What  a  debt  of  love  and 
praise  do  we  owe  !  Yesterday  I  attempted  to  examine 
the  women  who  attended  (in  number  about  thirty)  in 
Christian  knowledge :  they  were  very  shy,  and  said 
that  they  could  say  no  prayers  but  in  Portuguese.  It 
appears  that  they  were  highly  incensed,  and  went 
away,  saying  to  Joseph,  'We  know  a  great  deal  more 
than  your  Padre  himself.'  The  services  much  weak- 
ened me,  after  my  late  attack. 

"  To  the  Rev.  D.  Corrie." 


HENRY    MARTYN.  269 

11  August  8,  1808. 

"  I  called  on  the  Commander-in-chief  here  on  Sa- 
turday morning,  and  was  received  very  graciously.  I 
told  him  that  it  was  a  duty  we  owed  to  God  as  a  na- 
tion, to  erect  churches ;  and  asked  whether  Lord  Minto 
was  disposed  to  go  on  with  it ;  to  which  he  replied  in 
the  affirmative.  I  enlarged  on  the  shame  I  felt  in  my 
disputes  with  the  Popish  Padres,  as  often  as  they  threw 
out  reflections  on  the  utter  disregard  of  the  Protestants 
to  religion.  Julius,  the  Padre,  has  been  here  twice  this 
week,  but  staid  only  a  very  short  time.  He  began  to 
assert,  with  very  great  vehemence,  the  necessity  of  an 
infallible  judge,  in  order  to  settle  all  disputes  on  reli- 
gion ;  and  mentioned  how  much  he  had  been  agitated 
by  his  last  dispute  with  me  ;  he  could  do  nothing  but 
walk  about  that  night;  yet  looked  up  to  God  and  be 
came  tranquil.  The  men  are  fast  dying  in  the  hospital, 
yet  they  would  rather  be  sent  to  Patna  for  some  holy 
oil,  than  hear  the  word  of  eternal  life.  Two  or  three 
of  my  evening  hearers  are  in  the  hospital ;  one  is  pre- 
pared to  die  :  blessed  sight !  The  Persian  of  St.  Mark 
is  to  be  sent  to-morrow,  and  five  chapters  of  Luke,  cor- 
rected. There  is  no  news  from  down  the  stream  ;  but 
always  glad  tidings  for  us  from  the  world  above. 

«  To  the  Rev.  D.   Carrie." 

"  August  15,  1808. 

"  Glad  am  I  that  we  are  likely  to  meet  so  soon ;  may 
ft  be  { in  the  fullness  of  the  blessing  of  the  Gospel  of 
peace.'  Last  week  Mohammed  Babir,  the  Mohammedan 
.ord,  and  Padre  Martino,  spent  three  days  here.  Little, 
J  am  sorry  to  say,  has  been  done.  Sabat  did  not  ap- 
pear to  advantage  ;  instead  of  speaking  about  the  Gos- 
23* 


270  MEMOIR   OF 

pel  to  Babir,  he  was  reciting  poetry,  particularly  his 
own  ;  and  seemed  more  anxious  to  gain  admirers  than 
converts.  We  did,  however,  at  last  converse  about  re- 
ligion ;  but  Mohammed  confessed  himself  an  infidel, 
and  required  proof  for  the  truth  of  any  religion.  Sa- 
bat  was  not  prepared  for  this,  so  I  attempted  to  speak 
to  Babir  upon  the  nature  of  probable  evidence ;  but  he 
did  not  understand  me ;  so  this  came  to  nothing. 
One  day  we  sat  down  to  dinner  before  Sabat  came, 
and,  to  our  great  astonishment,  he  rebuked  us,  with 
great  wrath  and  pride.  With  all  Babir's  gentleness,  he 
rebuked  him  in  his  turn,  and  told  him  that  the  Per- 
sians and  English  knew  how  to  behave,  but  the  Arabs 
did  not.  Babir  was  so  lavish  in  his  compliments  to  us 
all,  that  it  was  difficult  to  get  at  his  real  sentiments; 
but  he  praised  Sabat's  Persian  translation  to  the  stars; 
which  I  was  glad  to  hear.  As  for  the  poor  Padre,  with 
an  exterior  so  imposing  that  you  would  think  St.  Pe- 
ter himself  was  present,  he  knows  nothing  at  all.  I 
tried  him  on  spiritual  things  again  and  again  :  rjut  he 
could  say  nothing.  Alas !  how  fallen  from  what  their 
fathers  were  !  When  shall  the  churches  of  Asia  recover 
their  ancient  glory  ?  You  will  see  the  Nabob  and  Pa- 
dre soon,  I  hope.  Last  Tuesday  we  sent  off  the  Per- 
sian of  St.  Mark. 

"  To  the  Rev.  D.  Corrie." 

"  September  9,  1808. 

"  Corrie  is  here,  and  likely  to  remain,  to  my  joy* 

You  will  have  some  happy  hours  together,  I  doubt 

not :  with  all  your  cares  and  trials,  you  claim  all  the 

consolation  we  can  give ;  and  you  shall  have  more 


HENRY    MARTYN.  271 

than  that,  if  we  can  obtain  any  thing  for  you  by  our 
prayers.  Corrie  will  bring  you  but  a  poor  account  of 
my  congregation :  I  am  much  neglected  on  all  sides, 
and  without  the  work  of  translation,  I  should  fear  that 
my  presence  in  India  were  useless. 

«  To  the  Rev.  D.  Brown:1 

"  October,  1808. 

"  I  deserve  your  reproof  for  not  having  written  to 
you  oftener;  and  lam  pained  at  the  anxiety  I  have 
thoughtlessly  occasioned  you.  I  console  myself,  how- 
ever, by  reflecting  that  a  letter  must  have  reached  you 
a  few  weeks  after  you  sent  your  last.  I  am  sorry  that 
I  have  not  good  accounts  to  give  of  my  health  j  yet 
no  danger  is  to  be  apprehended.  My  services  on  the 
Lord's  day  always  leave  me  a  pain  m  the  chest,  and 
such  a  great  degree  of  general  relaxation,  that  I  sel- 
dom recover  it  till  Tuesday.  A  few  days  ago  I  was  at- 
tacked with  a  fever,  which,  by  the  mercy  of  God, 
lasted  but  two  days.  I  am  now  well,  but  must  be  more 
careful  for  the  future.  In  this  debilitating  climate  the 
mortal  tabernacle  is  frail  indeed :  my  mind  seems  as 
vigorous  as  ever,  but  my  delicate  frame  soon  calls  for 
relaxation;  and  I  must  give  it,  though  unwillingly; 
for  such  glorious  fields  for  exertion  open  all  around, 
that  I  could  with  pleasure  be  employed  from  morning 
till  night.  It  seems  a  providential  circumstance,  that 
the  work  at  present  assigned  me  is  that  of  translation  ; 
for  had  I  gone  through  the  villages  preaching,  as  my 
intentions  led  me  to  do,  I  fear  that  by  this  time  I 
should  have  been  in  a  deep  decline.  In  my  last  I  gave 
you  a  general  idea  of  my  employments.  The  society 
still  meet  every  night  at  my  quarters,  and  though  we 


272  MEMOIR  ,OF 

have  lost  many  by  death,  others  are  raised  up  in  their 
room;  one  officer,  a  lieutenant,  is  also  given  to  me; 
and  he  is  not  only  a  brother  beloved,  but  a  constant 
companion  and  nurse ;  so  you  must  feel  no  appre- 
hension that  I  should  be  left  alone  in  sickness ;  nei- 
ther on  any  other  account  should  you  be  uneasy. 
You  know  that  we  must  meet  no  more  in  this  life : 
therefore  since  we  are.  as  I  trust,  both  children  of  God, 
by  faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  it  becomes  a  matter  of  less 
consequence  when  we  leave  this  earth.  Of  the  spread 
of  the  Gospel  in  India  I  can  say  little,  because  I  hear 
nothing.  Adieu,  my  dearest  sister  :  let  us  live  in  con- 
stant prayer  for  ourselves,  and  for  the  church." 
To  his  Sister. 

"  October  19,  1808. 

"  I  have  just  come  out  of  my  chapel,  where,  with 
my  little  flock,  I  have  once  more  resumed  my  duties. 
The  infrequency  of  my  appearance  among  them  of 
late  has  thinned  them  considerably ;  and  this  effect, 
/vhich  I  foresaw,  is  one  of  the  most  painful  and  lamen- 
table consequences  of  my  withdrawing  from  them ;  but 
it  is  unavoidable,  if  I  wish  to  prolong  my  life.  My  dan- 
ger is  from  the  lungs,  though  none  of  you  seem  to  ap- 
prehend it.  One  complete  service  at  church  does  more 
to  consume  my  strength  and  spirits  than  six  days  of 
the  hardest  study,  or  bodily  labor.  Pray  for  me,  my 
dear  brother,  that  I  may  neither  be  rash  nor  indolent. 

"  To  the  Rev.  D.  Carrie." 

"  October  24, 1808. 
"  You  mention  a  letter  inclosed,  but  none  came.  The 
intelligence,  however,  intended  to  be  conveyed  by  it, 


HENRY   MARTYN.  273 

met  my  delighted  eyes.  Thomason*  is  coming  !  This 
is  good.  Praise  be  to  the  Lord  of  the  harvest,  for  send- 
ing out  laborers  !  Behold  how  the  prayers  of  the  so- 
ciety at  Calcutta  have  been  heard.  I  hope  they  will 
continue  their  supplication  ;  for  we  want  more  yet,  and 
it  may  please  God  yet  further  to  bless  us.  You  cannot 
leave  Calcutta  by  the  middle  of  November,  aud  must 
therefore  apply  for  one  month's  extension  of  leave. 
But  you  are  unwilling  to  leave  your  flock;  and  I  do 
not  wonder,  as  I  have  seen  my  sheep  grievously  dis- 
persed during  my  absence.  Uncertain  when  I  may 
come  amongst  them,  they  seldom  come  at  all,  except 
the  ten  or  twelve  who  meet  one  another.  My  morn- 
ing congregation  increases  as  the  cold  weather  ad- 
vances, and  yesterday  there  seemed  to  be  a  conside- 
rable impression.  I  spoke  in  a  low  tone  of  voice,  and 
therefore  did  not  feel  much  fatigue ;  after  the  Hindoos- 
tanee  service  I  was  very  weak ;  but  at  night  tolerably 
strong  again.  On  the  whole,  my  expectations  of  life 
return.  May  the  days  thus  prolonged  be  entirely  his 
who  continues  them !  and  may  my  work  not  only 
move  on  delightfully,  but  with  a  more  devout  and  se- 
rious spirit !  You  are  too  many  happy  brethren  toge- 
ther for  me  to  mention  all :  suffice  it  to  say  that  my 
heart  is  with  you,  and  daily  prays  for  blessings  upon 
you  all. 
"  To  the  Rev.  D.  Corrie." 

The  early  part  of  the  year  1809  produced  no  varia- 
tion in  the  life  of  Mr.  Martyn,  until  the  month  of  April ; 

*  Of  whom  a  memoir  has  since  been  written,  by  the  author 
of  this  work. 


274  MEMOIR  OF 

when  he  was  removed  from  his  station  at  Dinapore,  to 
Cawnpore.  The  following  extracts  are  selected  from 
the  continuation  of  his  correspondence  with  Mr.  Cor- 
rie,  in  the  interval  which  passed  between  the  end  of 
the  year  1808,  and  the  termination  of  his  ministry  at 
Dinapore. 

"  January  10,  1809. 
"  Your  letter  from  Buxar  found  me  in  much  the  same 
spiritual  state  as  you  describe  yourself  to  be  in;  though 
your  description,  no  doubt,  belongs  more  properly  to 
me.  I  no  longer  hesitate  to  ascribe  my  stupor  and  for- 
mality to  its  right  cause,  unwatchfulness  in  worldly 
company.  I  thought  that  any  temptation  arising  from 
the  society  of  the  people  of  the  world,  at  least  of  such 
as  we  have  had,  was  not  worthy  of  notice ;  but  I  find 
myself  mistaken.  The  frequent  occasions  of  being 
among  them  of  late,  have  proved  a  snare  to  my  cor- 
rupt heart.  Instead  of  returning  with  a  more  elastic 
spring  to  severe  duties,  as  I  expected,  my  heart  wants 
more  idleness,  more  dissipation.  David  Brainerd  in 
the  wilderness,  what  a  contrast  to  Henry  Martyn  ! 
But  God  be  thanked  that  a  start  now  and  then  inter- 
rupts the  slumber.  I  hope  to  be  up  and  about  my  Mas- 
ter's business ;  to  cast  off  the  works  of  darkness,  and 
to  be  spiritually  minded,  which  alone  is  life  and  peace. 
But  what  a  dangerous  country  it  is  that  we  are  in ;  hot 
weather  or  cold,  all  is  softness  and  luxury;  all  a  con- 
spiracy to  lull  us  to  sleep  in  the  lap  of  pleasure.  While 
we  pass  over  this  enchanted  ground,  call,  brother,  ever 
and  anon,  and  ask,  '  Is  all  well?'  We  are  shepherds 
keeping  watch  over  our  flocks  by  night :  if  we  fall 
asleep,  what  is  to  become  of  them  ?" 


HENRY    MARTYN.  275 

"  January  30,  1809. 
"  I  have  been  seized  with  a  sudden  desire  for  read- 
ing Hebrew,  chiefly  from  a  wish  of  seeing  language 
in  its  simplest  and  purest  state.  It  is  my  belief  that 
language  is  from  God;  and  that  therefore,  as  in  his 
other  works,  so  in  this,  the  principles  must  be  extreme- 
ly simple.  My  present  labor  is  to  find  the  reason  for 
there  being  but  two  tenses  in  Hebrew.  I  have  read,  or 
rather  devoured,  the  first  four  chapters  of  the  Hebrew 
Bible,  in  order  to  account  for  the  apparently  strange 
use  of  these  two  tenses,  and  am  making  hypotheses 
every  moment;  when  I  walk,  and  when  I  wake  in  the 
night.  One  thing  I  have  found,  which  is,  that  there 
are  but  two  tenses  in  English  and  in  Persian.  I  will 
go — in  that  sentence  the  principal  verb  is  I  will,  which 
is  the  present  tense.  I  would  have  gone — the  principal 
verb  is  I  would  or  I  willed.  Skoidd,  also  is  a  preterite, 
namely,  shaded,  from  to  shall.  Another  thing  I  observe 
is,  that,  both  in  Persian  and  in  English,  the  preterite  is 
formed  in  the  same  way,  viz.  by  the  addition  of 
ed  ;  porsum  porsedum — ash,  asked.  I  should  not  won- 
der if,  in  the  Saxon,  or  some  other  ancient  northern 
language,  from  which  the  English  comes,  it  is  askedum. 
Thus  you  have  a  letter  of  philology.  If  1  make  any 
other  great  discoveries,  and  have  nothing  better  to 
write  about,  I  shall  take  the  liberty  of  communicating 
them.  Scire  tuum  nihil  est,  nisi  te  scire  hoc  sciat  al- 
ter:* but  this,  I  trust,  is  not  my  maxim.  '  Whatsoever 
ye  do,  do  all  to  the  glory  of  God,''  is  much  better." 

*  Knowledge  to  yourself  is  in  vain,  unless  others  know  tkat 
you  have  it. 


276  MEMOIR  OF 

"February  13,  1809. 
"Last  Friday  we  had  the  happiness  and  honor  of 
finishing  the  four  Gospels  in  Persian.  The  same  even- 
ing I  made  some  discovery  respecting  the  Hebrew 
verb;  but  was  unfortunately  so  much  delighted  that  I 
could  not  sleep;  in  consequence  of  which  I  have  had 
a  head-ache  ever  since.  Thus  even  intellectual  joys 
are  followed  by  sorrow ;  not  so  spiritual  ones.  I  pray 
continually  that  order  may  be  preserved  in  my  heart ; 
that  I  may  esteem  and  delight  most  in  that  work 
which  is  really  most  estimable  and  delightful — the 
work  of  Christ  and  his  apostles.  When  this  is  in  any 
measure  the  case,  it  is  surprising  how  clear  and  order- 
ly the  thoughts  are  on  other  subjects.  I  am  still  a  good 
deal  in  the  dark  respecting  the  objects  of  my  pursuit; 
but  have  so  far  an  insight,  that  I  read  Hebrew  and 
Arabic  with  increasing  pleasure  and  satisfaction." 

"  February  29,  1809. 
"Your  attack  proves  the  necessity  of  diminishing 
your  Sabbath  services.  I  scarcely  know  how  this 
week  has  passed,  nor  can  I  call  to  mind  the  circum- 
stances of  one  single  day ;  so  absorbed  have  I  been  in 
my  new  pursuit.  I  remember,  however,  that  during 
one  night  I  did  not  sleep  a  wink.  Knowing  what  would 
be  the  consequence  the  next  day,  I  struggled  hard,  and 
turned  every  way,  that  my  mind  might  be  diverted 
from  what  was  before  it ;  but  all  in  vain.  One  disco- 
very succeeded  another,  in  Hebrew,  Arabic,  and  Greek, 
so  rapidly.,  that  I  was  sometimes  almost  in  ecstacy ; 
but,  after  all,  I  have  moved  but  a  step  :  you  may  scold 
me,  if  you  please,  but  I  am  helpless.   I  do  not  turn  to 


HENRY   MARTYN.  277 

this  study  of  myself,  but  it  turns  to  me,  and  draws  me 
away  almost  irresistibly.  Still  I  perceive  it  to  be  a 
mark  of  a  fallen  nature,  to  be  so  carried  away  by  a 
pleasure  merely  intellectual ;  and,  therefore,  while  I 
pray  for  the  gifts  of  His  Spirit,  I  feel  the  necessity  of 
being  still  more  earnest  for  His  grace.  '  Whether  there 
be  tongues,  they  shall  cease  ;  whether  there  be  know- 
ledge it  shall  vanish  away;'  but  'charity  never  fail- 
eth.'  Yesterday  my  mind  was  mercifully  kept  free 
the  whole  day  :  and  I  ministered  without  distraction, 
and  moreover  without  fatigue.  I  do  not  know  when 
I  have  found  myself  so  strong.  The  state  of  the  air 
affects  me  more  than  any  thing  else.  On  Saturday  I 
completed  my  twenty-eighth  year.  Shall  I  live  to  see 
another  birth-day  1  It  will  be  better  to  suppose  not.  I 
have  not  read  Faber  yet;  but  it  seems  evident  to  me 
that  the  11th  of  Daniel,  almost  the  whole  of  it,  refers 
to  future  time.  But  as  the  time  of  accomplishing  the 
Scriptures  draws  on,  knowledge  shall  increase.  In 
solemn  expectation  we  must  wait,  to  see  how  our  God 
will  come.  How  interesting  are  his  doings  !  We  feel 
already  some  of  that  rapture  wherewith  they  sing 
above,  '  Great  and  wonderful  are  thy  works,  Lord  God 
almighty:  just  and  true  are  thy  ways,  thou  King  of 
saints !' " 

"  March  3,  1809. 
"I  did  not  write  to  you  last  week,  because  I  was 
employed  night  and  day,  on  Monday  and  Tuesday, 
with  Sabat,  in  correcting  some  sheets  for  the  press.  I 
begin  my  letter  now,  immediately  on  receiving  yours 
of  last  week.  The  account  of  your  complaint,  as  you 
may  suppose,  grieves  me  exceedingly  ;  not  because  I 
24 


278  MEMOIR   OP 

think  that  I  shall  outlive  you,  but  because  your  useful 
labors  must  be  reduced  to  one  quarter  of  their  present 
amount ;  and  that  you  may  perhaps  be  obliged  to  take 
a  voyage  to  Europe,  which  involves  loss  of  time  and 
money.  But,  O  brother  beloved  !  what  is  life  or  death  ? 
Nothing,  to  the  believer  in  Jesus.  '  He  that  believeth, 
though  he  were  dead,  yet  shall  he  live ;  and  he  that 
liveth,  and  believeth  in  me,  shall  never  die.'  The  first 
and  most  natural  effect  of  sickness,  as  I  have  often 
found,  is  to  cloud  and  terrify  the  mind.  The  attention 
of  the  soul  is  arrested  by  the  idea  of  soon  appearing  in 
a  new  world  ;  and  a  sense  of  guilt  is  felt  before  faith 
is  exercised  in  a  Redeemer :  and  for  a  time  this  will 
predominate  ;  for  the  same  faith  that  would  overcome 
fear  in  health,  must  be  considerably  strengthened,  to 
have  the  same  ascendency  in  sickness.  I  trust  you 
will  long  live  to  do  the  work  of  your  Lord  Jesus.  My 
discoveries  are  all  at  an  end.  I  am  just  where  I  was ; 
in  perfect  darkness,  and  tired  of  the  pursuit.  It  is,  how- 
ever, likely  that  I  shall  be  constantly  speculating  on 
the  subject.  My  thirst  after  knowledge  is  very  strong ; 
but  I  pray  continually  that  the  Spirit  of  God  may  hold 
the  reins  ;  that  I  may  mind  the  work  of  God  above  all 
things ;  and  consider  all  things  else  as  merely  occa- 
sional." 

"  March  13,  1809. 

"How  delightful  is  it  to  me,  at  this  moment,  to 
commune  with  a  dear  brother,  who  '  is  not  of  the 
world,  as  the  Lord  was  not  of  the  world.'    I  am  just 

come  from  the  mess  of  the .    This  morning  the 

regiment  was  reviewed,  and  I,  among  the  staff,*  was 

*  Mr.  Martyn  was  Military  Chaplain. 


HENRY   MARTYN.  279 

invited  to  a  public  dejeune  and  dinner.  As  I  had  no 
pretence  for  not  going,  I  went.  Yesterday  our  new 
place  of  worship  was  opened.  It  is  a  room  eighty-one 
feet  long,  with  a  very  large  verandah.  It  will  be  a 
noble  church ;  but  I  fear  will  diminish  somewhat  of 
my  strength.  My  text  was,  '  In  all  places  where  I 
record  my  name,  I  will  come  unto  thee  and  bless  thee.' 
O  may  the  promise  be  fulfilled  to  us !" 

At  Cawnpore  the  hand  of  friendship  and  hospitality 
was  stretched  out  to  welcome  Mr.  Martyn  ;  and  to  af- 
ford him  those  attentions  which,  after  a  wearisome 
and  perilous  journey,  were  not  only  most  gratifying 
to  his  feelings,  but  almost  indispensable  to  the  pre- 
servation of  his  life.  From  the  pen  of  the  lady*  of  that 
friend  who  then  received  him,  a  pen  which  has  been 
often  and  happily  employed  in  the  sacred  cause  for 
which  Mr.  Martyn  lived  and  labored,  we  have  the  fol- 
lowing account  of  his  arrival  at  the  new  station  to 
which  he  was  appointed. 

"  The  month  of  April,  in  the  upper  provinces  of 
Hindoostan,  is  one  of  the  most  dreadful  months,  for 
traveling,  throughout  the  year;  indeed,  no  European, 
at  that  time,  can  remove  from  place  to  place,  but  at 
the  hazard  of  his  life.  But  Mr.  Martyn  had  that  anxiety 
to  be  in  the  work  which  his  heavenly  Father  had  giv- 
en him  to  do,  that,  notwithstanding  the  violent  heat, 
he  traveled  from  Chunar  to  Cawnpore,  the  space  of 
about  four  hundred  miles.  At  that  time,  as  I  well  re- 
member, the  air  was  as  hot  and  dry  as  that  which  I 

*  Mrs.  Sherwood. 


280  MEMOIR   OP 

have  sometimes  felt  near  the  mouth  of  a  large  oven  ; 
no  friendly  cloud  or  verdant  carpet  of  grass  to  relieve 
the  eye  from  the  strong  glare  of  the  rays  of  the  sun, 
pouring  on  the  sandy  plains  of  the  Ganges.  Thus  Mr. 
Martyn  traveled,  journeying  night  and  day,  and  arrived 
at  Cawnpore  in  such  a  state,  that  he  fainted  away  as 
soon  as  he  entered  the  house.  When  we  charged  him 
with  the  rashness  of  hazarding  his  life  in  this  manner, 
he  always  pleaded  his  anxiety  to  get  to  the  great  work. 
He  remained  with  us  ten  days,  suffering  considerably, 
at  times,  from  fever  and  pain  in  the  chest." 

Mr.  Martyn's  own  account  of  this  dreadful  and  most 
distressing  journey  is  thus  briefly  detailed  to  Mr.  Corrie 

"  Cawnpore,  May  1,  1809. 
"  The  entrance  to  this  place  is  through  plains  of 
immeasurable  extent,  covered  with  burning  sand.  The 
place  itself  I  have  not  yet  been  able  to  see,  nor  shall,  I 
suppose,  till  the  rains :  at  present  it  is  involved  in  a 
thick  cloud  of  dust.  So  much  for  exordium.  Let  me  take 
up  my  narrative  from  Mirzupore,  from  whence  I  wrote 
you  a  note.  I  reached  Tarra  about  noon.  Next  day, 
at  noon,  reached  Allahabad,  and  was  hospitably  re- 
ceived by  Mr.  G ;  at  night  dined  with  him  at  the 

Judge's,  and  met  twenty-six  people.  From  Allahabad 
to  Cawnpore  how  shall  I  describe  what  I  suffered  ! 
Two  days  and  two  nights  was  I  traveling  without  in- 
termission. Expecting  to  arrive  early  on  Saturday 
morning,  I  took  no  provision  for  that  day.  Thus  I  lay 
in  my  palanquin,  faint,  with  a  head-ache,  neither  awake 
nor  asleep,  between  dead  and  alive,  the  wind  blowing 
flames.     The  bearers  were  so  unable  to  bear  up,  that 


HENRY    MARTYN.  281 

we  were  six  hours  coming  the  last  six  kos  (twelve 
miles.)  However,  with  all  these  frightful  circum- 
stances, I  was  brought,  in  mercy,  through.  It  was  too 
late  on  Saturday  to  think  of  giving  notice  of  my  arri- 
val, that  we  might  have  service  ;  indeed  I  was  myself 
too  weak.  Even  now  the  motion  of  the  palanquin  is 
not  out  of  my  brain,  nor  the  heat  out  of  my  blood." 

Mr.  Martyn's  removal  from  Dinapore  to  Cawnpore 
was  to  him,  in  many  respects,  a  very  unpleasant  ar- 
rangement. He  was  several  hundred  miles  farther  dis- 
tant from  Calcutta,  and  was  far  more  widely  separa- 
ted than  before  from  his  friend  Mr.  Corrie  :  he  had 
new  acquaintances  to  form  at  his  new  abode;  and, 
after  having  with  much  difficulty  procured  the  erection 
of  a  church  at  Dinapore,  he  was  transported  to  a  spot 
where  none  of  the  conveniences,  much  less  the  decen- 
cies and  solemnities  of  public  worship  were  visible. 
We  find  him,  soon  after  he  arrived  there,  preaching  to 
a  thousand  soldiers  drawn  up  in  a  hollow  square,  when 
the  heat  was  so  great,  although  the  sun  had  not  risen, 
that  many  actually  dropped  down,  unable  to  support 
it.  What  must  such  services  as  these  have  been  to  a 
minister  too  faithful  and  zealous  to  seek  refuge  in  in- 
dolent formality,  and  already  weakened  in  health  by 
former  ministrations !  He  complained,  if  indeed  he 
might  ever  be  said  to  complain,  of  an  attack  of  fever 
soon  after  the  commencement  of  these  services  ;  and 
there  can  be  little  doubt  that  they  contributed  very 
materially  to  undermine  his  constitution.  No  time, 
indeed,  was  lost  by  him,  on  this  occasion,  as  before,  in 
remonstrating   upon  this  subject;    and  his    remon- 


282  MEMOIR  OF 

strances  procured  a  promise  that  a  church  should  be 
built.  This  expectation,  however,  was  not  fulfilled  until 
his  health  was  too  much  shaken  to  profit  by  its  accom- 
plishment. 

At  Cawnpore  Mr.  Martyn's  ministerial  duties  varied 
little  from  those  which  had  occupied  him  at  Dinapore. 
Prayers  and  a  sermon  with  the  regiment,  at  the  dawn 
of  the  morning;  the  same  service  at  the  house  of  the 
general  of  the  station,  at  eleven  o'clock ;  attendance  at 
the  hospital ;  and  in  the  evening,  that  part  of  his  work 
which  was  the  most  grateful  and  refreshing  to  his 
spirit,  though  performed  under  the  pressure  of  much 
bodily  fatigue — an  exposition  to  the  more  devout  part 
of  his  flock,  with  prayer  and  thanksgiving — made  up 
the  ordinary  portion  of  his  labors. 

The  love  of  philology— in  which  science  he  fondly 
hoped  to  effect  discoveries  conducive  to  the  elucida- 
tion of  difficulties  in  the  Scriptures — followed  him 
from  Dinapore  to  his  new  residence,  and  so  haunted 
his  mind,  that,  whether  at  l]ome  or  abroad,  whether 
>y  day  or  by  night,  he  could  not  divest  himself  of  it. 
,?or  many  successive  days  did  he  intensely  pursue  this 
study,  and  for  many  sleepless  nights  did  this  study 
pursue  him.  At  length  he  thought  that  he  had  ascer- 
tained the  meaning  of  almost  all  the  Hebrew  letters: 
by  degrees,  however,  he  became  less  ardent  in  these 
inquiries,  either  from  questioning  the  truth  of  those 
axioms  which  he  had  laid  down,  or  from  finding  their 
inutility  after  he  had  established  them. 

These  abstruse  speculations,  together  with  duties  of 
a  more  important  character,  one  of  the  chief  of  which 
was  the  superintendence  of  the  Arabic  translation  of 


HENRY   MARTYN.  283 

the  New  Testament,  now  begun  and  carried  on  con- 
jointly with  a  new  Persian  version,  were  soon  inter- 
rupted, and  for  a  time  suspended,  by  a  summons  he 
received  to  Lucknow,  for  the  purpose  of  celebrating  a 
marriage,  and  by  a  similar  call  to  Pretabjush.  Con- 
cerning the  latter  he  thus  writes  to  Mr.  Simeon,  la- 
menting, the  inconvenience  to  which  he  was  exposed 
by  such  distant  demands  upon  his  services.  "  Just  af- 
ter the  last  ship  from  Europe  arrived,  and  I  was  hour- 
ly expecting  my  letters,  I  was  summoned  to  a  distant 
station  to  marry  a  couple,  and  did  not  return  till  three 
weeks  after.  It  was  a  great  disappointment  to  be  thus 
suddenly  sent  to  roam  amongst  jungles  and  jackalls, 
when  I  was  feasting  my  fancy  with  delightful  letters 
from  my  friends  at  home  ;  though  Europe  is  no  longer 
my  home.  However,  my  mind  was  soon  reconciled  to 
it,  and  I  was  often  able  to  recite,  with  some  sense  of 
their  sweetness,  Mr.  Newton's  beautiful  lines: 

1  In  desert  tracts,  with  Thee,  my  God, 
'How  happy  could  I  be  !' 

"The  place  to  which  I  was  called  is  Pretabjush,  in 
the  territory  of  Oude,  which  is  still  under  the  govern- 
ment of  the  Nabob.  Oppression  and  insecurity  of  pro- 
perty seem  to  have  stripped  the  country  of  its  inhabi- 
tants. From  Manicpore,  where  I  left  the  river,  to  Pre- 
tabjush, a  distance  of  fifty  miles,  I  saw  but  two  or  three 
miserable  villages,  and  no  agriculture.  The  road  was 
nothing  more  than  a  winding  footpath  through  a  con- 
tinued wood ;  and  that,  in  consequence  o[  the  rains, 
was  often  lost.  Indeed,  all  the  lowlands  were  under 
water,  which,  added  to  tl?  *  ssrcusetance  Of  traveling 


284  MEMOIR  OF 

by  night,  made  the  journey  by  no  means  a  pleasant 
one.  Being  detained  one  Lord's  day  at  the  place,  I  as- 
sembled all  the  officers  and  company  at  the  command- 
ing officer's  bungalow,  and  preached  the  Gospel  to 
them.  There  were  five-and-thirty  officers,  besides  la- 
dies, and  other  Europeans.  You  will  have  an  idea  of 
the Nabob'scountry,  when  you  are  informed  that,  last 
September,  a  young  officer,  going  from  his  station  to 
Lucknow,  was  stopped  by  robbers,  and  literally  cut  to 
pieces  in  his  palanquin.  Since  that  time,  the  Nabob 
has  requested  that  every  English  gentleman  wishing  to 
visit  his  capital,  may  give  notice  of  his  intention  to 
the  Resident,  in  order  that  a  guard  may  be  sent.  Ac- 
cordingly, a  few  months  ago,  when  I  had  occasion  to 
go  to  Lucknow,  I  had  a  guard  of  four  troopers,  armed 
with  matchlocks  and  spears.  I  thought  of  Nehemiah, 
but  was  far  too  inferior  to  him  in  courage  and  faith 
not  to  contemplate  the  fierce  countenances  of  my  sa- 
tellites with  great  satisfaction." 

Not  long  after  Mr.  Martyn's  return  from  this  expedi- 
tion, letters  from  Europe  reached  Cawnpore,  bringing 
intelligence  of  a  similar  nature  with  that  which  had 
overwhelmed  him  in  the  preceding  year.  They  con- 
tained intimations  of  the  dangerous  illness  of  that  sis- 
ter who  had  been  so  instrumental  to  his  conversion  to 
the  Lord  ;  and  they  were  but  too  quickly  followed  by 

an  account  of  her  death.  "O  my  dearest  S ,"  he 

began  to  write,  with  a  faint  hope,  at  first,  of  the  possi- 
bility of  her  receiving  his  letter,  "that  disease  which 
prayed  upon  our  mother  and  dear  sister,  and  has  often 
shown  itself  in  me,  has,  I  fear,  attacked  you.  Although 


HENRY    MARTY  N.  285 

I  parted  from  you  in  the  expectation  of  never  seeing 
you  in  this  life;  and  though  I  know  that  you  are,  and 
have  long  been,  prepared  to  go,  yet  to  lose  my  last 
near  relation,  ray  only  sister  in  nature  and  grace,  is  a 
dreadful  stroke."  "Dearest  brother,"  he  continued  to 
her  husband,  from  whom  he  had,  in  the  meantime, 
received  a  more  alarming  account,  "I  can  write  no 
more  to  my  sister.  Even  now  something  tells  me  that 
I  have  been  addressing  one  in  the  world  of  spirits.  But 
yet  it  is  possible  that  I  may  be  mistaken.  No!  I  dare 
not  hope.  Your  loss  is  greater  than  mine,  and  there- 
fore it  would  become  me  to  offer  consolation;  but  I 
cannot.  I  must  wait  till  your  next ;  and  in  the  mean- 
time I  will  continue  to  pray  for  you,  that  the  God  of 
all  consolation  may  comfort  you,  and  make  us  both, 
from  this  time,  live  more  as  pilgrims  and  strangers 
upon  the  earth.  In  the  first  three  years  after  leav- 
ing my  native  land,  I  have  lost  the  three  persons 
whom  I  most  loved  in  it.  What  is  there  now  that  I 
should  wish  to  live  for?  O  what  a  barren  desert,  what 
a  howling  wilderness  does  this  world  appear !  But  for 
the  service  of  God  in  his  church,  and  the  preparation 
of  my  own  soul,  I  do  not  know  that  I  would  wish  to 
live  another  d?y." 

With  a  grateful  tenderness,  also,  in  the  midst  of  this 
affliction,  he  thus  addressed  Mr.  Simeon : — "  My  ever 
dear  friend  and  brother,  I  address  you  by  your  true 
title,  for  you  are  a  friend  and  brother,  and  more  than  a 
brother  to  me.  Your  letter,  though  it  contains  much 
afflictive  intelligence,  contains  also  much  that  demands 
my  gratitude.  In  the  midst  of  judgment  he  remembers 
mercy.   He  has  been  pleased  to  take  away  my  last  re- 


286  MEMOIR   OF 


maining  sister  (for  I  have  no  hopes  of  my  poor  S 'a 

recovery ;)  he  has  reduced  the  rest  of  my  family,  but 
he  has  raised  up  a  friend  for  me  and  mine.  Tears  of 
gratitude  mingle  with  those  of  sorrow,  whilst  I  think 
)f  the  mercy  of  God,  and  the  goodness  of  you,  his  in- 
strument." 

The  close  of  the  year  1809  was  distinguished  by  the 
commencement  of  Mr.  Martyn's  first  public  ministra- 
tion among  the  heathen.  A  crowd  of  mendicants, 
whom,  to  prevent  perpetual  interruptions,  he  had  ap- 
pointed to  meet  on  a  stated  day,  for  the  distribution  of 
alms,  frequently  assembled  before  his  house  in  im- 
mense numbers,  presenting  an  affecting  spectacle  of 
extreme  wretchedness.  To  this  congregation  he  de- 
termined to  preach  the  word  of  the  Savior  of  all  men, 
who  is  no  respecter  of  persons.  Of  his  first  attempt  at 
this  new  species  of  ministration  he  thus  speaks :  "  I 
told  them,  after  requesting  their  attention,  that  I  gave 
with  pleasure  the  alms  I  could  afford ;  but  wished  to 
give  them  something  better,  namely,  eternal  riches,  or 
the  knowledge  of  God,  which  was  to  be  had  from 
God's  word;  and  then  producing  a  Hindoostanee  trans- 
lation of  Genesis,  read  the  first  verse,  and  explained  it 
word  by  word.  In  the  beginning,  when  there  was  no- 
thing, no  heaven,  no  earth,  but  only  God,  he  created 
without  help,  for  his  own  pleasure.  But  who  is  God? 
One  so  great,  so  good,  so  wise,  so  mighty,  that  none 
can  know  him  as  he  ought  to  know  :  but  yet  we  must 
know  that  he  knows  us.  When  we  rise  up,  or  sit  down, 
or  go  out,  he  is  always  with  us.  He  created  heaven 
and  earth ;  therefore  every  thing  in  heaven,  sun,  moon. 


HENRY   MARTYN.  287 

and  stars.  Therefore,  how  should  the  sun  be  God,  or 
the  moon  be  God  ?  He  created  every  thing  on  earth , 
therefore  Ganges  also ;  therefore,  how  should  Ganges 
be  God  ?  Neither  are  they  like  God.  If  a  shoemaker 
make  a  pair  of  shoes,  are  the  shoes  like  him  ?  If  a  man 
make  an  image,  the  -image  is  not  like  man  his  maker. 
Infer  secondly  :  if  God  made  the  heaven  and  earth  for 
you,  and  made  the  meat  also  for  you,  will  he  not  also 
feed  you  ?  Know  also,  that  he  that  made  heaven  and 
earth,  can  destroy  them,  and  will  do  it ;  therefore  fear 
God,  who  is  so  great ;  and  love  God,  who  is  so  good." 
Such  was  the  substance  of  his  first  discourse,  the  whole 
of  which  was  preached  sentence  by  sentence ;  for,  at 
the  end  of  each  clause,  there  followed  applause  and  ex- 
planatory remarks  from  the  wiser  among  them.  "  I 
bless  my  God,"  said  Mr.  Martyn,  "  for  helping  me 
beyond  my  expectations.  Yet  still  my  corrupt  heart 
looks  forward  to  the  next  attempt  with  some  dread." 
The  following  Sunday  he  preached  again  to  the  beg- 
gars, in  number  about  five  hundred,  on  the  work  of 
the  first  and  second  day,  when  all  he  said  was  receiv- 
ed with  great  applause.  And  on  the  last  day  of  the 
year  he  again  addressed  them,  their  numbers  amount- 
ing to  above  five  hundred  and  fifty ;  taking  for  his  sub- 
ject the  works  of  the  third  and  fourth  day.  "  I  did 
not,"  he  remarks,  "  succeed  so  well  as  before ;  I  sup- 
pose because  I  had  more  confidence  in  myself,  and 
less  in  the  Lord.  I  fear  they  did  not  understand  me 
well ;  but  the  few  sentences  that  were  clear,  they  ap- 
plauded. Speaking  to  them  of  the  sea  and  rivers,  I 
spoke  to  them  again  of  the  Ganges,  that  it  was  no 
more  than  other  rivers.    God  loved  the  Hindoos ;  but 


288  MEMom  or 

he  loved  other  people  too;  and  whatever  fiver,  or 
water,  or  other  good  thing,  he  gave  Hindoos,  he  gave 
other  people  also :  for  all  are  alike  before  God,  Gan- 
ges, therefore,  is  not  to  be  worshipped ;  because,  so 
far  from  being  a  god,  it  is  not  better  than  other  rivers. 
In  speaking  of  the  earth  and  moon,  '  as  a  candle  in  the 
house,  so  is  the  sun,'  I  said,  '  in  the  heavens.  But 
would  I  worship  a  candle  in  my  hand  V  These  were 
nice  points :  I  felt  as  if  treading  on  tender  ground,  and 
was  almost  disposed  to  blame  myself  for  imprudence. 
I  thought  that,  amidst  the  silence  these  remarks  pro- 
duced, I  heard  hisses  and  groans ;  but  a  few  Moham- 
medans applauded." 

With  these  new  labors  of  love  the  year  1809  termi- 
nated. "  Ten  years  have  elapsed,"  observed  Mr,  Mar- 
tyn  on  the  last  day  of  it,  "  since  I  was  first  called  of 
God  to  the  fellowship  of  the  Gospel ;  and  ten  times 
greater  than  ever  ought  to  be  my  gratitude  to  the  ten- 
der mercy  of  my  God  for  all  that  he  has  done  for  me. 
The  ways  of  wisdom  appear  more  sweet  and  reason- 
able than  ever,  and  the  world  more  insipid  and  vexa- 
tious. The  chief  thing  I  have  to  mourn  over,  is  my 
want  of  more  power  and  fervor  in  secret  prayer,  es- 
pecially when  attempting  to  plead  for  the  heathen. 
Warmth  does  not  increase  with  me  in  proportion  tq 
my  light." 

To  the  temporal  and  spiritual  necessities  of  those 
wretched  beings  who  statedly  assembled  before  his 
house,  Mr.  Martyn  continued  to  minister  assiduously 
in  the  early  part  of  the  year  1810 ;  nor  did  he  cease 
to  do  so,  whilst  his  health  permitted,  during  the  re- 
mainder of  his  residence  at  Cawnpore.    The  satis- 


HENRY    MARTYN.  289 

faction  of  seeing  their  numbers  increase,  sometimes 
amounting  to  as  many  as  eight  hundred  persons,  was 
exceeded  by  the  more  solid  gratification  of  witnessing 
in  them  a  growing  attention  to  the  instructions  he  de- 
livered. By  degrees  tumultuous  applauses  were  suc- 
ceeded by  pertinent  remarks,  or  were  lost  in  a  serious 
and  pensive  silence.  On  one  occasion,  particularly,  the 
apparent  effect  produced  by  his  discourse  was  highly 
encouraging.  An  extraordinary  impression  was  made 
on  his  Mohammedan  and  pagan  auditory,  whom  he 
had  been  addressing  on  the  awful  subject  of  the  de- 
struction of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  with  equal  simpli- 
city and  solemnity.  "  After  finishing,"  he  observes, 
"  the  narrative  of  the  fall  of  Sodom,  I  said,  without 
further  preparation,  '  Do  you,  too,  repent  of  your  sins, 
and  turn  to  God?'  It  was  this  simple  sentence  that 
seemed  to  come  with  great  power,  and  prevented  my 
proceeding  for  a  time.  '  For  though  you  are  not  like 
the  men  of  Sodom — Gfod  forbid ! — you  are  neverthe- 
less sinners.  Are  there  no  thieves,  fornicators,  railers, 
extortioners  among  you?  Be  you  sure  that  God  is 
angry.  I  say  not  that  He  will  burn  your  town  ;  but 
that  He  will  burn  you.  Haste,  therefore,  out  of  Sodom. 
Sodom  is  the  world,  which  is  full  of  sinners  and  sin. 
Come  out,  therefore,  from  amongst  them :  forsake  not 
your  worldly  business,  but  your  sinful  companions. 
Do  not  be  like  the  world,  lest  you  perish  with  them. 
Do  not,  like  Lot,  linger;  say  not,  to-morrow  we  will 
repent,  lest  you  never  see  to-morrow — repent  to-day. 
Then,  as  Lot,  seated  on  the  hill,  beheld  the  flames  in 
safety,  you  also,  sitting  on  the  hills  of  heaven,  shall 
behold  the  ruins  of  the  world  without  fear.' " 
25 


290  MEMOIR   OP 

In  tlie  midst  of  these  exertions,  an  attack  of  pain  ifl 
the  chest,  of  a  severer  kind  than  he  had  before  expe- 
rienced, forced  upon  Mr.  Martyn's  mind  the  unwel- 
come conviction  of  the  necessity  of  some  quiet  and 
relaxation. 

Upon  the  subject  of  his  health,  a  subject  which  wa3 
becoming  but  too  interesting  and  alarming  to  his  friends 
in  general,  he  thus  wrote  to  Mr.  Simeon,  who  long 
before  had  warmly  urged  him  to  the  most  watchful 
care  and  prudence.  "  I  read  your  letter  of  0th  July. 
1809,  cautioning  me  against  over-exertion,  with  the 
confidence  of  one  who  had  nothing  to  fear.  This  was 
only  three  weeks  ago.  Since  the  last  Lord's  day  your 
kind  advice  was  brought  home  to  my  mind,  accompa- 
nied with  painful  regret  that  I  had  not  paid  more  at- 
tention to  it.  My  work  last  Sunday  was  not  more  than 
usual,  but  far  too  much  for  me,  I  can  perceive.  First, 
service  to  his  majesty's  53d  regiment,  in  the  open  air; 
then  at  head  quarters  ;  in  the  afternoon  preached  to 
eight  hundred  natives;  at  night  to  my  little  flock  o! 
Europeans.  Which  of  these  can  I  forego?  The  minis- 
tration to  the  natives  might  be  in  the  week :  but  I  wish 
to  attach  the  idea  of  holiness  to  the  Sunday.  My  even- 
ing congregation,  on  Sunday,  is  attended  by  twice  as 
many  as  in  the  week-day;  so  how  can  I  let  this  go?" 

With  what  extreme  reluctance  Mr.  Martyn  "  spared 
himself,"  we  see  from  the  above  letter.  The  progress 
of  his  complaint,  however,  compelled  him  to  overcome 
this  reluctance ;  and  to  the  Indian  congregation,  when 
they  next  assembled,  he  was  obliged  to  declare  that  his 
ill  health  prevented  him  from  addressing  them  ;  upon 
which  hundreds  of  voices  were  heard  invoking  for  hip- 


HENRY    MARTYN.  291 

long  life  and  health;  and  when  he  dispensed  his  alms 
among  them,  their  thankfulness  seemed  to  know  no 
bounds.  Shortly  after,  however,  he  ventured  to  finish 
with  these  mendicants  the  history  of  Joseph,  upon 
which  he  had  entered  ;  and  to  resume  also  the  whole 
of  his  duty  on  the  Sabbath,  with  the  exception  of  one 
service.  And  notwithstanding  his  extreme  caution  on 
that  point,  he  received  an  old  Hindoo  woman,  on  the 
profession  of  her  faith,  "  who,  though  she  knew  but 
little,  was,"  he  said,  "  lowliness  itself." 

Whilst  Mr.  Marty n  was  thus  laboring  in  the  very 
fire,  sometimes  yielding  to  the  pressure  of  his  com- 
plaint, and  affording  himself  a  little  ease  and  relaxa- 
tion ;  at  others,  renewing  it,  either  by  private  conver- 
sation or  public  services ;  providentially  for  the  pre- 
servation of  the  remnant  of  his  health,  in  the  begin- 
ning of  June,  his  friend  and  brother,  Mr.  Corrie,  ar- 
rived at  Cawnpore,  on  his  journey  to  his  new  station 
at  Agra.  This  proved  a  most  seasonable  refreshment 
and  relief  to  Mr.  Martyn,  both  in  body  and  mind  ;  for 
his  friend,  though  himself  in  a  weak  state  of  health, 
undertook,  by  the  permission  of  the  commander-in- 
chief,  who  showed  a  kind  consideration  for  Mr.  Mar- 
tyn in  his  drooping  condition,  part  of  the  duty,  leav- 
ing to  Mr.  Martyn  only  the  services  of  preaching  to 
the  natives  at  noon,  and  to  the  soldiers  in  the  evening, 
in  the  performance  of  which  he  persuaded  himself 
that  he  ought  to  persevere. 

How  greatly  his  friends  became  alarmed  at  this 
juncture,  will  appear  from  the  following  animated  and 
anxious  letter  from  Mr.  Brown :  "  You  will  know, 
from  our  inestimable  brother  Corrie,  my  solicitude 


292  MEMOIR  OP 

about  your  health.  If  it  could  make  you  live  longer,  I 
would  give  up  any  child  I  have,  and  myself  into  the 
bargain.  May  it  please  the  adorable, unsearchable  Be- 
ing with  whom  we  have  to  do,  to  lengthen  your  span  ! 
Amidst  the  dead  and  the  dying,  nothing  can  be  more 
apparently  prosperous  to  the  church  of  God,  than  the 
overwhelmings  now  taking  place  in  the  earth.  Christ 
will  find  his  way  to  the  hearts  of  men,  and  there  will 
be  a  great  company  to  praise  him.  I  know  not  why 
we  should  wish  to  be  saved,  but  for  this  purpose ;  or 
why,  but  for  this  purpose,  we  should  desire  the  con- 
version of  Heathens,  Turks,  and  Infidels.  To  find  them 
at  the  feet  of  Jesus  will  be  a  lovely  sight.  Our  feeble 
voices  cannot  praise  him  much.  We  shall  be  glad  to 
see  them  clapping  their  hands  and  casting  their  crowns 
before  him  ;  for  all  in  heaven  and  earth  cannot  suffi- 
ciently praise  him.  I  see  no  cause  to  wish  for  any  thing 
but  the  advancement  of  that  knowledge  by  which  there 
is  some  accession  of  praise  to  his  holy  and  blessed 
name.  We  grasp  and  would  wish  to  gather  all  to 
Christ;  but  without  him  we  can  do  nothing;  he  will 
gather  to  himself  those  that  are  his." 

From  this  time  till  the  month  of  September  Mr. 
Martyn  persisted  in  his  ministration  to  the  natives, 
taking  for  the  subject  of  several  successive  discourses 
the  ten  commandments.  On  one  of  these  occasions  he 
describes  himself  as  speaking  with  great  ease  in  his 
body,  and  joy  in  his  heart.  "  Blessed  be  God,"  he  says, 
"my  strength  is  returning.  O  may  I  live  to  proclaim 
salvation  through  a  Savior's  blood."  But  this  sunshine 
was  soon  overclouded ;  and  shortly  after  he  again  re- 
lapsed. 


HENRY   MARTYN.  293 

Such  was  the  sinking  state  of  his  health,  notwith- 
standing the  seasonable  and  important  assistance  de- 
rived from  the  presence  of  Mr.  Corrie,  that  a  removal 
from  Cawnpore,  either  to  make  trial  of  the  effect  of  a 
sea  voyage,  or  to  return  for  a  short  time  to  England, 
became  now  a  matter  of  urgent  necessity.  The  adop- 
tion of  the  latter  expedient  he  had  once  determined 
upon,  conceiving  that  his  complaint  might  arise 
from  the  relaxing  effect  of  the  climate,  and  that  a 
bracing  air  would  in  that  case  be  beneficial.  Nor  was 
this  resolution  formed  without  a  reluctant  struggle  in 
his  mind ;  India  held  out  to  him  the  most  powerful  at- 
tractions, however  strongly  his  affections  were  drawn 
towards  his  native  country.  That  he  had  not  forgotten 
one  peculiarly  dear  to  him,  is  shown  in  the  following 
record,  breathing  equally  a  spirit  of  touching  tender- 
ness and  of  meek  resignation. 

"  Sept.  22.—"  Was  walking  with  L ;  both  much 

affected,  and  speaking  on  the  things  dearest  to  us  both. 
I  awoke,  and  behold  it  was  a  dream!  My  mind  re- 
mained very  solemn  and  pensive — I  shed  tears.  The 
clock  struck  three,  and  the  moon  was  riding  near  her 
highest  noon ;  all  was  silence  and  solemnity,  and  I 
thought  with  pain  of  the  sixteen  thousand  miles  be- 
tween us.  But  good  is  the  will  of  the  Lord !  even  if  I 
see  her  no  more." 

The  precise  period  of  his  departure  from  Cawnpore, 
as  well  as  the  place  of  his  ultimate  destination,  were 
fixed  by  information  received  from  Calcutta,  concern- 
ing the  Persian  version  of  the  New  Testament. 

The  version  which  had  first  been  made  in  that  Ian- 


294  MEMOIR   OF 

guage,  two  Gospels  of  which  had  been  printed,  had 
been  considered,  on  further  inspection  and  more  ma- 
ture consideration,  to  require  too  many  amendments 
to  admit  of  its  immediate  publication.  It  was  accord- 
ingly returned  to  the  translator,  who,  under  the  super- 
intendence of  Mr.  Martyn,  bestowed  so  much  pains 
and  attention  upon  it  as  to  render  it  a  new,  and  it  was 
hoped,  a  sound  and  accurate  work.  By  those,  howev- 
er, who  were  considered  competent  judges  at  Calcutta, 
it  was  still  deemed  unfit  for  general  circulation,  inas- 
much as  it  was  thought  to  abound  in  Arabic  idioms, 
and  to  be  written  in  a  style,  pleasing  indeed  to  the 
learned,  but  not  sufficiently  level  to  the  capacities  of 
the  mass  of  common  readers. 

At  this  decision  Mr.  Martyn  was  as  keenly  disap- 
pointed as  he  was  delighted  at  the  complete  success  of 
the  Hindoostanee  version,  which,  on  the  minutest  and 
most  rigorous  revision,  was  pronounced  to  be  idiomatic 
and  plain.  But  meeting  the  disappointment  with  that 
spirit  and  elasticity  of  mind  which  is  the  result  of 
lively  faith,  he  instantly  resolved,  after  committing 
his  way  to  God  in  prayer,  and  consulting  his  friends, 
Mr.  Corrie  and  Mr.  Brown,  on  the  subject,  to  go  into 
Arabia  and  Persia,  for  the  purpose  of  collecting  the 
opinions  of  learned  natives,  with  respect  to  the  Per- 
sian translation,  which  had  been  rejected,  as  well  as  of 
the  Arabic  version,  which  was  yet  incomplete,  though 
nearly  finished. 

Mr.  Brown's  reply,  on  this  purpose  being  communi- 
cated to  him,  is  too  characteristic,  both  of  himself  and 
of  Mr.  Martyn,  to  be  omitted.  "  But  can  I  then,"  said 
lie,  "bring  myself  to  cut  the  string  and  let  you  go? 


HENRY   MARTYN.  295 

I  confess  I  could  not,  if  your  bodily  frame  were  strong, 
and  promised  to  last  for  half  a  century.  But,  as  you 
burn  with  the  intenseness  and  rapid  blaze  of  heated 
phosphorus,  why  should  we  not  make  the  most  of  you  ? 
Your  flame  may  last  as  long,  and  perhaps  longer,  in 
Arabia,  than  in  India.  Where  should  the  phoenix  build 
her  odoriferous  nest,  but  in  the  land  prophetically  call- 
ed '  the  blessed  ?' — and  where  shall  we  ever  expect, 
but  from  that  country,  the  true  Comforter  to  come  to 
the  nations  of  the  east?  I  contemplate  your  New 
Testament,  springing  up,  as  it  were,  from  dust  and 
ashes,  but  beautiful  'as  the  wings  of  a  dove  covered 
with  silver,  and  her  feathers  like  yellow  gold.'  " 

Towards  the  end  of  September,  therefore,  Mr.  Mar- 
tyn  put  himself  in  readiness  to  leave  Cawnpore  ;  and 
on  his  preaching  for  the  last  time  to  the  natives,  and 
giving  them  an  account  of  the  life,  the  miracles,  the 
death,  and  the  resurrection  of  Jesus,  as  well  as  a  sum- 
mary of  his  heavenly  doctrine — exhorting  them  to 
believe  in  him  ;  and  taking  them  to  record  that  he  had 
declared  to  them  the  glad  tidings  of  the  Gospel — it 
was  but  too  apparent  that  they  would  never  again  hear 
those  sounds  of  wisdom  and  mercy  from  his  lips.  On 
the  opening  of  the  new  church,  also,  where  he  preach- 
ed to  his  own  countrymen — amidst  the  happiness  and 
thankfulness  which  abounded  at  seeing  "a  temple  of 
God  erected,  and  a  door  opened  for  the  service  of  the 
Almighty,  in  a  place  where,  from  the  foundation  of 
the  world,  the  tabernacle  of  the  true  God  had  never 
stood," — a  mournful  foreboding  could  not  be  suppress- 
ed, that  he,  who  had  been  the  cause  of  its  erection,  and 


296  MEMOIR   OF 

beanty  of  holiness,  would  minister  there  no  more. 
They  beheld  him  as  standing  on  the  verge  of  the  eter- 
nal world,  and  ready  to  take  a  splendid  flight.  "  My 
father,  my  father,  the  chariot  of  Israel  and  the  horse- 
men thereof,"  were  the  sentiments  with  which  many 
gazed  on  him.  One  of  his  auditors  on  this  solemn  oc- 
casion,* describes,  in  the  following  words,  the  feelings 
of  many  others,  in  depicting  her  own  :  "He  began  in 
a  weak  and  faint  voice,  being  at  that  time  in  a  very 
bad  state  of  health  ;  but,  gathering  strength  as  he  pro- 
ceeded, he  seemed  as  one  inspired  from  on  high. 
Never  was  an  audience  more  affected.  The  next  day 
this  holy  and  heavenly  man  left  Cawnpore,  and  the  so- 
ciety of  many  who  sincerely  loved  and  admired  him. 
He  left  us  with  little  hope  of  seeing  him  again,  until, 
by  the  mercy  of  our  Savior,  we  meet  with  him  in  our 
Father's  house." 

On  the  first  day  of  October,  the  day  following  the 
delivery  of  this  affecting  discourse,  after  fervently 
uniting  in  prayer  with  his  beloved  friend  and  brother 
Mr.  Corrie,  with  whom  he  was  not  again  to  meet  and 
worship  until  separation  shall  cease  for  ever,  and 
prayer  be  changed  into  endless  hallelujahs,  Mr.  Mar- 
tyn  departed  from  Cawnpore  for  Mr.  Brown's  resi- 
dence at  Aldeen,  which  he  safely  reached  on  the 
evening  of  the  last  day  of  the  month.  In  his  voyage 
down  the  Ganges  nothing  of  particular  moment  oc- 
curred, except  that  he  visited  the  remains  of  his  flock 
of  the  67th  at  Gazeepore,  "  where,"  said  he,  "  sad  was 
the  sight — many  of  the  most  hopeful  were  ashamed 
to  look  me  in  the  face,  and  sorrow  appeared  in  the 
*  Mrs.  Sherwood. 


HENRY   MARTYN.  297 

faces  of  those  who  had  remained  faithful.  About  nine 
of  these  came  to  me  in  my  boat,  where  we  sung  the 
hymn  which  begins.  '  Come,  ye  that  love  the  Lord  ;* 
after  which  I  spoke  to  and  prayed  with  them,  earnest- 
ly and  affectionately,  if  ever  I  did  in  my  life."  This 
painful  interview  was  succeeded  by  another,  not  unin- 
teresting, with  Antonio,  a  monk,  at  Boglipore.  "We 
sat  in  the  evening,"  Mr.  Marty n  writes,  "  under  a  shed 
on  the  banks  of  the  river,  and  began  to  dispute,  in 
Latin,  about  the  church.  He  grew  a  little  angry,  and 
I  do  not  know  what  might  have  been  the  end  of  it; 
but  the  church-bells  rang  for  vespers,  and  terminated 
the  controversy.  The  church  is  in  his  garden ;  a  very 
neat  building,  hung  round  with  some  little  mean  en- 
gravings. A  light  was  burning  in  the  chancel,  and  an 
image  of  the  Virgin,  behind  a  curtain,  as  usual,  was 
over  the  table.  Antonio  did  not  fail  to  bow  to  the 
image;  but  he  did  it  in  a  way  which  showed  he  was 
ashamed  of  himself;  at  least,  so  I  thought.  He  read 
some  passages  from  the  Hindoostanee  Gospels,  which 
I  was  surprised  to  find  so  well  done.  I  begged  him  to 
go  on  with  the  Epistles.  He  had  translated  also  the 
Missal,  equally  well  done.  He  showed  me  the  four  Gos- 
pels in  Persian,  very  poorly  done.  I  rejoiced  unfeign- 
edly  at  seeing  so  much  done,  though  he  followeth  not 
with  us.  The  Lord  bless  his  labors  ;  and  while  he 
watereth  others,  may  he  be  watered  himself!" 

Restored,  after  an  absence  of  four  years,  to  an  inter- 
course with  his  friends,  who,  on  beholding  his  pallid 
countenance  and  enfeebled  frame,  knew  not  whether 
most  to  mourn  or  to  rejoice,  Mr.  Martyn  partook 
largely  of  that  pure  and  refined  happiness  which  is 


298  MEMOIR   OF 

peculiar  to  one  of  his  vivid  feelings  and  heavenly 
affections,  in  that  society  where  they  that  "  fear  the 
Lord  speak  often  one  to  another,  and  the  Lord  heark- 
ens and  hears,  and  a  book  of  remembrance  is  written 
before  him  for  them  that  fear  the  Lord,  and  think 
upon  his  name."  The  following  letter  to  Mr.  Simeon, 
expresses  the  heartfelt  sentiments  of  one  of  those 
friends*  to  whom  India  in  general,  and  Calcutta  in 
particular,  stand  so  greatly  indebted,  after  an  inter- 
view chequered  alternately  by  the  varying  lights  and 
shades  of  joy  and  distress.  "This  bright  and  lovely 
jewel  first  gratified  our  eyes  on  Saturday  last.  He  is 
on  his  way  to  Arabia,  where  he  is  going  in  pursuit  of 
health  and  knowledge.  You  know  his  genius,  and 
what  gigantic  strides  he  takes  in  every  thing.  He  has 
some  great  plan  in  his  mind,  of  which  I  am  no  com- 
petent judge ;  but,  as  far  as  I  do  understand  it,  the  ob- 
ject is  far  too  grand  for  one  short  life,  and  much  be- 
yond his  feeble  and  exhausted  frame.  Feeble  it  is,  in- 
deed !  how  fallen  and  changed !  His  complaint  lies  in 
his  lungs,  and  appears  to  be  an  incipient  consumption. 
But  let  us  hope  that  the  sea-air  may  revive  him  ;  and 
that  change  of  place  and  pursuit  may  do  him  essen- 
tial service,  and  continue  his  life  many  years.  In  all 
other  respects,  he  is  exactly  the  same  as  he  was ;  he 
shines  in  all  the  dignity  of  love,  and  seems  to  carry 
about  him  such  a  heavenly  majesty  as  impresses  the 
mind  beyond  description.  But  if  he  talks  much,  though 
in  a  low  voice,  he  sinks,  and  you  are  reminded  of  his 
being  '  dust  and  ashes.' " 
So  infirm  was  the  state  of  Mr.  Martyn's  health,  that 
*  The  Rev.  Mr.  Thomason. 


HENRY    AIARTYN.  299 

the  indulgence  of  conversation  with  his  friends  soon 
produced  a  recurrence  of  those  symptoms  which  had 
occasioned  alarm  at  Cawnpore  ;  and  yet,  notwith- 
standing this,  he  preached  every  Sabbath  at  Calcutta, 
with  one  exception  only,  until  he  finally  left  it.  Ani- 
mated with  the  zeal  of  that  Apostle  who  at  Troas  con- 
tinued his  discourse  until  midnight,  he  could  not  re- 
frain from  lifting  up  his  voice,  weak  as  it  was,  in  dU 
vine  warnings  and  invitations,  in  a  place  where  some- 
thing seemed  to  intimate  that  he  should  never  again 
declare  God's  judgments  against  the  impenitent,  nor 
invite  the  weary  and  heavy  laden  to  Jesus  Christ 
for  rest. 

"  I  now  pass,"  said  Mr.  Marty n,  on  the  first  day  of 
the  year  1811,  "from  India  to  Arabia,  not  knowing 
the  things  that  shall  befall  me  there,  but  assured  that 
an  ever-faithful  God  and  Savior  will  be  with  me  in  all 
places  whithersoever  I  may  go.  May  he  guide  me  and 
protect  me,  and  after  prospering  me  in  the  thing 
whereunto  I  go,  bring  me  back  again  to  my  delightful 
work  in  India.  I  am  perhaps  leaving  it  to  see  it  no 
more;  but  the  will  of  God  be  done;  my  times  are  in 
his  hand,  and  he  will  cut  them  as  short  as  shall  be 
most  for  my  good ;  and  with  this  assurance,  I  feel  that 
nothing  need  interrupt  my  work  or  my  peace." 

On  the  7th  day  of  January,  after  having  preached  a 
sermon  on  the  anniversary  of  the  Calcutta  Bible  So- 
ciety, which  was  afterwards  printed,  and  entitled, 
"  Christian  India ;  or,  an  Appeal  on  behalf  of  nine 
hundred  thousand  Christians  in  India  who  want  the 
Bible;"  and  after  having,  for  the  last  time,  addressed 
the  inhabitants  of  Calcutta,  from  the  text  of  Scripture, 


300  MEMOIR   OF 

"But  one  thing  is  needful,"  Mr.  Marty n  departed  for 
ever  from  tiiose  shores,  on  which  he  had  fondly  and 
fully  purposed  to  spend  all  his  days. 


CHAPTER   VIII. 

VOYAGE  AND  JOURNEY  FROM  BENGAL  TO  PERSIA — INSUPPORTA- 
BLE HEAT — ARRIVAL  AT  SHIRAZ  — COMMENCES  A  NEW  PER- 
SIAN TRANSLATION  OF  THE  NEW  TESTAMENT — DISCUSSIONS 
WITH   THE    PERSIAN   MOOLAHS. 

In  the  former  periods  of  Mr.  Martyn's  life,  we  have 
seen  in  him  the  successful  candidate  for  academical 
distinctions — the  faithful  and  laborious  pastor— the 
self-denying  and  devoted  missionary — the  indefatiga- 
ble translator  of  the  Scriptures— the  preacher  of  the 
Gospel  to  the  heathen.  In  this,  the  last  and  shortest 
portion  of  the  contracted  term  of  his  earthly  exist- 
ence, we  are  called  to  contemplate  his  character  in  a 
new  and  yet  more  striking  light,  and  shall  have  oc- 
casion to  admire  in  him  the  erect  and  courageous  spirit 
of  the  Christian  confessor. 

The  occurrences  which  transpired  between  his  de- 
parture from  the  mouth  of  the  Hoogley  and  his  arri- 
val at  Shiraz,  occupy  a  period  of  five  months.  They 
are  partly  recorded  in  the  following  extracts  from  his 
private  journal,  and  partly  related  in  a  letter  to  Mr. 
Corrie,  from  Shiraz. 


HENRY   MARTYN.  301 

"  Bay  of  Bengal,  January,  1S1L 

"I  took  a  passage  in  the  ship  Ahmoody,  Captain 
Kinsay,  bound  to  Bombay.  One  of  my  fellow-passen- 
gers was  the  Honorable  Mr.  Elphinstone,  who  was 
proceeding  to  take  the  Residency  of  Poonah.  His 
agreeable  manners  and  classical  acquirements  made 
me  think  myself  fortunate  indeed,  in  having  such  a 
companion,  and  I  found  his  company  the  most  agree- 
able circumstance  in  my  voyage." 

"  Our  captain  was  a'  pupil  of  Swartz,  of  whom  he 
communicated  many  interesting  particulars.  Swartz, 
-with  Kolhoff  and  Joenicke,  kept  a  school  for  half-cast 
children,  about  a  mile  and  a  half  from  Tanjore;  but 
■went  every  night  to  the  Tanjore  church,  to  meet  about 
sixty  or  seventy  of  the  king's  regiment,  who  assem- 
bled for  devotional  purposes:  after  which  he  officiated 
to  their  AVives  and  children  in  Portuguese.  At  the 
school  Swartz  used  to  read  in  the  morning  out  of  the 
German  'Meditation  for  every  day  in  the  year;'  at 
night  he  had  family  prayer.  Joenicke  taught  geogra- 
phy ;  Kolhoff,  writing  and  arithmetic.  They  had  also 
masters  in  Persian  and  Malabar."       , 

"  At  the  time  when  the  present  Rajah  was  in  danger 
of  his  life  from  the  usurper  of  his  uncle's  throng  Swartz 
used  to  sleep  in  the  same  room  with  him.  This  was 
sufficient  protection,  '  for  (said  the  captain)  Swartz 
was  considered  by  the  natives  as  something  more  than 
mortal.'  The  old  Rajah,  at  his  death,  committed  his 
nephew  to  Swartz." 

"  All  down  the  bay  of  Bengal  I  could  do  nothing  but 
sit  listless  on  the  poop,  viewing  the  wide  waste  pf  wa- 
26 


H02  MEMOIR   OP 

tcr ;  a  sight  that  would  have  been  beautiful,  had  I  been 
well." 

"  On  the  18th  we  came  in  sight  of  the  Island  of 
Ceylon." 

"  In  my  Hebrew  researches  I  scarcely  ever  felt  so 
discouraged.  All  the  knowledge  I  thought  I  had  ac- 
quired became  uncertain,  and  consequently  I  was  un- 
happy. It  was  in  vain  that  I  reflected  that  thousands 
live  and  die  happy,  without  such  knowledge  as  I  am 
in  search  of." 

Jan.  20. — Sunday.—"  Had  divine  service  in  the  ca- 
bin in  the  morning,  but  waited  in  vain  for  what  I  call 
a  proper  opportunity  of  introducing  family  prayer. 
When  shall  I  have  done  with  this  pernicious  delicacy, 
which  would  rather  yield  up  souls  than  suffer  a  wound 
itself?" 

Jan.  22.—"  Came  to  an  anchor  off  Columbo.  In  the 
afternoon  went  on  shore  with  Mr.  Elphinstone,  and 
walked  to  a  cinnamon  garden.  The  road  all  along  was 
beautiful;  tall  groves  of  cocoa-nut  trees  on  each  side, 
with  the  tents  of  the  natives  among  them,  opened  here 
and  there,  and  gave  a  view  of  the  sea.  The  Cingalese 
who  accompanied  us,  told  the  natives  who  saw  us,  that 
We  were  Protestant  Christians.  On  our  way  back,  we 
saw  a  parly  of  Cingalese  Christians  returning  home 
from  a  church-yard,  where  they  had  been  burying  a 
corpse.  I  crossed  over  to  them,  and  found  their  Cate- 
chist,  who,  however,  spoke  too  little  English  to  give 
me  any  information." 

Jan.  23.—"  Sailed  from  Ceylon  across  the  Gulf  of 
Manaar,  where  there  is  generally  a  swell,  but  which 
we  found  smooth.  Having  passed  Cape  Comorin,  and 


HENRY    MARTYN.  303 

come  into  smooth  water,  I  proposed  having  family 
prayer  every  night  in  the  cabin  ;  and  no  objection  was 
made.  Spoke  a  ship  to-day  which  was  conveying  pil- 
grims from  Manilla  to  Jidda.  The  first  object  discern- 
ible under  the  high  mountains  at  Cape  Comorin  was  a 
church.  As  we  passed  along  the  shore,  churches  ap- 
peared every  two  or  three  miles,  with  a  row  of  huts  on 
each  side.  These  churches  are  like  the  meeting-houses 
in  England,  with  a  porch  at  the  west  end.  Perhaps 
many  of  these  poor  people,  with  all  the  incumbran- 
ces of  popery,  are  moving  towards  the  kingdom  of 
heaven." 

Jan.  26. — "  Anchored  off  Allepie.  Learned  that  there 
were  here  about  two  hundred  Christians,  Portuguese, 
besides  the  fishermen  cast.  The  church  was  a  tempo- 
rary erection ;  but  a  stone  edifice  is  to  be  raised  on  the 
spot.  The  Portuguese  Padre  resides  at  another  church 
about  three  miles  off." 

Jan.  27  to  31. — "  Generally  unwell.  In  prayer,  my 
views  of  my  Savior  have  been  inexpressibly  consola- 
tory. How  glorious  the  privilege  that  we  exist  but  in 
him ;  without  him  I  lose  the  principle  of  life,  and  am 
left  to  the  power  of  native  corruption — a  rotten  branch, 
a  dead  thing,  that  none  can  make  use  of.  This  mass 
of  corruption,  when  it  meets  the  Lord,  changes  its  na- 
ture, and  lives  throughout,  and  is  regarded  by  God  as 
a  member  of  Christ's  body.  This  is  my  bliss,  that 
Christ  is  all.  Upheld  by  him,  I  smile  at  death.  It  is 
no  longer  a  question  about  my  own  worthiness.  I 
glory  in  God,  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 

Feb.  7. — "Arrived  at  Goa.  Spent  the  evening  at 
Mr. 's,  to  whom  I  had  letters  of  recommendation. 


304  MEMOIR   OF 

The  next  day  I  went  up,  with  Mr.  Elphinstone  and 
others,  to  Old  Goa,  where  we  were  shown  the  con- 
vents and  churches.  At  the  convent  of  the  Nuns,  ob- 
serving one  reading,  I  asked  to  see  the  book.  It  was 
handed  through  the  grate;  and  as  it,  was  a  Latin 
prayer-book,  I'  wrote  in  it  something  about  having  the 
world  in  the  heart,  though  flying  from  it  to!  a  convent. 
I  tried  to  converse  with  two  or  three  half-native 
monks,  but  they  knew  so  little  Latin  that  I  could  not 
gain  much  from  them ;  and  the  Portuguese  Padres 
seemed  to  know  still  less.  After  visiting  the  tomb  of 
Francis  Xavier,  we  went  to  the  Inquisition ;  but  we 
were  not  admitted  beyond  the  anti-chamber.  The 
priest  we: found  there  (a  secular)  conversed  a  little  on 
the  subject,  and  said  that  it  was  the  ancient  practice, 
that  if  any  spoke  against  religion,  they  were  conducted 
thither  and  chastised :  that  there  were  some  prisoners 
there  under  examination  at  that  time.  No  one  dares 
resist  the  officers  of  the  Inquisition ;  the  moment  they 
touch  a  man,  he  surrenders  himself." 

Feb.  17. — Sunday. — "A  tempestuous  sea  throwing 
us  all  into  disorder,  we  had  ho  service." 

Feb.  18.— "Anchored  at  Bombay.  This  day  I  fin- 
ished the  thirtieth  year  of  my  unprofitable  life ;  the 
age  at  which  David  Brainerd  finished  his  course.  I 
am  now  at  the  age  at  which  the  Savior  of  men  began 
his  ministry,  and  at  which  John  the  Baptist  called  a 
nation  to  repentance.  Let  me  now  think  for  myself, 
and  act  with  energy.  Hitherto  I  have  made  my  youth 
and  insignificancean  excuse  for  sloth  and  imbecility  : 
now  let  me  have  a  character,  and  act  boldly  for  God." 

Feb.  19.—"  Went  on  shore.    Waited  on  the  Gover- 


HENRY   MARTYN.  305 

nor,  and  was  kindly  accommodated  with  a  room  at 
the  government-house." 

Feb.  21. — "  Talked  to  the  Governor  about  what  we 
had  been  doing  at  Bengal,  and  begged  that  he  would 
interest  himself,  and  procure  us  all  the  information  he 
could  about  the  native  Christians,  which  he  promised  to 
do.  At  Bombay  there  are  twenty  thousand  Christians ; 
at  Salsette,  twenty-one  thousand  ;  and  at  this  place 
there  are  forty-one  thousand,  using  the  Mahratta  lan- 
guage." 

Feb.  22.—"  At  the  Courier  press  I  saw  the  Malay- 
alim  New  Testament  in  print,  as  far  as  the  eleventh  of 
John." 
Feb.  24. — "  Preached  at  the  Bombay  church." 
March  5. — "  Feeroz,  a  Parsee,  who  is  considered  the 
most  learned  man  here,  called  to  converse  about  reli- 
gion.   He  spoke  Persian,  and  seemed  familiar  with 
Arabic.    He  began  with  saying  that  no  one  religion 
had  more  evidences  of  its  truth  than  another,  for  that 
all  the  miracles  of  the  respective  founders  depended 
upon  tradition.  This  I  denied.   He  acknowledged  that 
the  writer  of  the  Zendavesta  was  not  contemporary 
with  Zoroaster.  After  disputing  and  raising  objections, 
he  was  left  without  an  answer,  but  continued  to  cavil. 
'  Why,'  said  he,  '  did  the  Magi  see  the  star  in  the  east, 
and  none  else  1  from  what  part  of  the  east  did  they 
come?  and  how  was  it  possible  that  their  king  should 
come  to  Jerusalem  in  seven  days  V  The  last  piece  of 
information  he  had  from  the  Armenians.     I  asked 
him  'Whether  he  had  any  thoughts  of  changing  his 
religion'?'  He  replied,  with  a  contemptuous  smile,  '  No : 
every  man  is  safe  in  his  own  religion.'   I  asked  him, 
2  * 


300  MEMOIR    OF 

'  What  sinners  must  do  to  obtain  pardon  V  'Repent,' 
said  he.  I  asked,  '  Would  repentance  satisfy  a  credi- 
tor or  a  judge  V  '  Why,  is  it  not  said  in  the  Gospel,' 
rejoined  he,  'that  we  must  repent?'  I  replied,  'It  can- 
not be  proved  from  the  Gospel,  that  repentance  alone 
is  sufficient,  or  good  works,  or  both.'  '  Where,  then, 
is  the  glory  of  salvation  V  he  said.  I  replied,  'In  the 
atonement  of  Christ.'  'All  this,'  said  he,  '  I  know  :  but 
so  the  Mohammedans  say,  that  Hosyn  was  an  atone- 
ment for  the  sins  of  men. 'u  He  then  began  to  criticise 
the  translations  which  he  saw  on  the  table,  and  won- 
dered why  they  were  not  made  in  such  Persian  as 
was  now  in  use.  He  looked  at  the  beginning  of  the 
eighth  of  Romans,  in  the  Christian  Knowledge  Soci- 
ety's Arabic  Testament,  but  could  gather  no  meaning 
at  all  from  it." 

March  6. — "  Feeroz  called  again,  and  gave  me  some 
account  of  his  own  people.  He  said  that  they  consid- 
ered the  terms  Magi  and  Guebr  as  terms  of  reproach, 
and  that  their  proper  name  was  Musdyasni;  that  no 
books  were  written  in  their  most  ancient  language, 
namely  the  Pahlavee,  but  Zoroaster's  twenty-one;  of 
these  twenty-one,  only  two  remain.  He  showed  me  a 
part  of  a  poem  which  he  is  writing ;  the  subject  is  the 
conquest  of  India  by  the  English;  the  title,  Georgiad. 
He  is  certainly  an  ingenious  man,  and  possesses  one 
of  the  most  agreeable  qualities  a  disputant  can  possess, 
which  is,  patience:  he  never  interrupted  me;  and  if  I 
rudely  interrupted  him,  he  was  silent  in  a  moment." 

March  7. — "  Mohammed  Jan,  a  very  young  man, 
son  of  Mehdee  Ali  Khan,  Lord  Wellesly's  Envoy  to 
Persia,  called.   I  should  not  have  thought  him  worth 


HENRY    MARTYN.  307 

arguing  with,  he  seemed  such  a  boy  ;  but  his  fluency 
in  Persian  pleased  me  so  much,  that  I  was  glad  to  hear 
him  speak ;  he  was,  besides,  familiar  with  all  the  argu- 
ments the  Mouluwees  usually  bring  forward ;  more- 
over, I  thought  that  perhaps  his  youthful  mind  might 
be  more  open  to  conviction  than  that  of  the  hoary 
Moollahs>' 

March  9. — "  Visited  the  Elephanta  Island." 

March  10. — Sunday. — "  This  morning  Feeroz  called 
before  church.  He  said  that  their  order  of  priesthood 
consisted  in  the  descendants  of  Zoroaster,  and  were 
called  Mobid ;  that  four  times  a  month  they  assembled, 
viz.  the  6th,  13th,  20th,  and  27th ;  strangers  were  not 
allowed  to  see  the  sacred  fire,  '  thougjh,'  said  the  old 
man  significantly,  'I  think  there  is  nothing  unlawful 
in  it,  but  the  common  people  do.'  He  began  to  profess 
himself  a  deist.  '  In  our  religion,'  said  he, '  they  be- 
lieve as  Zoroaster  taught — that  the  heavens  and  earth 
were  made ;  but  I  believe  no  such  thing.'  " 

March  16. — "Walked  at  night  with  a  respectable 
Jew  of  Bussorah,  whose  name  was  Ezra:  he  knew 
next  to  nothing." 

March  25. — "  Embarked  on  board  the  Benares,  Cap- 
tain Sealy ;  who,  in  company  with  the  Prince  of 
Wales,  Captain  Hepburn,  was  ordered  to  cruise  in  the 
Persian  Gulf  against  the  Arab  pirates.  We  got  under 
way  immediately,  and  were  outside  the  land  before 
night." 

March  31.—"  The  European  part  of  the  ship's  crew, 
consisting  of  forty-five  sailors  and  twelve  artillerymen, 
were  assembled  on  the  quarter-deck  to  hear  divine 
service.   I  wondered  to  see  so  manv  of  the  seamen  in- 


308  MEMOIR  OF 

attentive ;  but  I  afterwards  found  that  most  of  them 
were  foreigners,  French,  Spanish,  Portuguese,  &e. 
We  had  prayers  in  the  cabiu  every  night.  In  the 
afternoon  I  used  to  read  to  a  sick  man  below,  and  two 
or  three  others  would  come  to  hear." 

April  14. — "  Came  in  sight  of  the  Persian  coast, 
near  Tiz,  in  Meehran." 

April  21. — "  Anchored  at  Muscat,  in  Arabia." 

April  23. — "  Went  on  shore  with  the  Captain  to  the 
Indian  broker's,  at  whose  house  we  met  the  Vizier,  by 
appointment.  There  was  an  unimportant  conference, 
at  which  I  assisted  as  interpreter.  The  Sultan  was  a 
few  miles  off,  fighting  with  the  Wechabites." 

April  24. — "  Went  witli  our  English  party,  two  Ar- 
menians, and  an  Arab  soldier,  to  see  a  garden  ;  there 
was  nothing  very  wonderful  in  the  garden,  but  a  little 
green  in  this  frightful  wilderness  was,  no  doubt,  to  the 
Arab  a  great  curiosity.  His  African  slave  argued  with 
me  for  Mohammed,  and  did  not  know  how  to  let  me 
go,  he  was  so  interested  in  the  business." 

April  25. — "  The  Arab  soldier  and  his  slave  came  on 
board  to  take  leave.  They  asked  to  see  the  Gospel. 
The  instant  I  gave  them  a  copy  in  Arabic,  the  poor 
boy  began  to  read,  and  carried  it  off  as  a  great  prize, 
which  I  hope  he  will  find  it  to  be.  This  night  we  warp- 
ed out  of  the  Cove,  and  got  under  way.  I  had  not 
had  a  night's  rest  from  the  day  we  entered  it." 

April  26.—"  Came  in  sight  of  the  Persian  shore 
again." 

April  28. — Sunday. — "  At  anchor  in  Jasques  Bay, 
which  the  artillery  officer  surveyed.  Captain  Hepburn 
brought  his  crew  to  church.    Wrent  on  board  his  ship 


HENRY    MARTYN.  309 

to  see  two  Armenian  young  men,  who  informed  me 
of  the  conversion  of  Mirza  Ishmael,  son  of  Shehool  Is- 
lam, oif  Isfahan,  who  was  gone  to  Bombay  for  baptism." 

May  7. — "  Finished  a  work,  on  which  I  have  been 
engaged  for  a  fortnight;  a  new  arrangement  of  all  the 
Hebrew  roots,  classing  them  according  to  the  last  let- 
ter, the  last  but  one,  &c." 

May  20. — "  After  a  troublesome  north-wester,  we 
have  now  a  fair  wind,  carrying  us  gently  to  Bushire." 

May  22.—"  Landed  at  Bushire." 

In  his  journey  from  Bushire  to  Shiraz,  it  was  not 
merely  the  ordinary  inconveniences  of  traveling  in 
Persia,  which  Mr.  Martyn  Tiad  to  combat.  So  intense 
was  the  heat  of  the  sun  in  the  month  of  June  as  to  en- 
danger his  life;  a  peril  of  which  he  had  no  previous 
apprehension  ;  though,  with  so  great  an  object  before 
him,  he  would  have  been  warranted  in  knowingly  in- 
curring great  danger  towards  the  attainment  of  his 
purpose. 

Seventeen  days  elapsed,  after  landing  at  Bushire,  be- 
forehe  reached  Shiraz  ;  of  these,  eight  were  consumed 
in  preparation  for  traveling,  and  the  remainder  in  ac- 
complishing his  journey.  The  whole  period  is  em- 
braced, and  the  very  interesting  events  of  it  are  re- 
corded in  the  following  letter  to  Mr.  Corrie. 

"  A  few  days  after  my  letter  to  you  from  Muscat,  we 
sailed  for  the  Gulf,  and  continued  cruising  a  month, 
generally  in  sight  of  Persia  or  Arabia,  sometimes  of 
both.  On  the  22d  of  May  we  landed  at  Bushire,  and 
took  up  our  lodgings  with  Mr. .  We  are  now  in  a 


310  MEMOIR   OF 

new  situation.  Mrs. and  her  sister,  both  Arme- 
nians, spoke  nothing  but  Persian  at  table ;  the  servants 
and  children  the  same.  One  day  a  party  of  Armenian 
ladies  came  to  kiss  my  hand,  the  usual  mark  of  re- 
spect shown  to  their  own  priests ;  I  was  engaged  at 
the  time,  but  they  begged  to  have  it  explained  that 
they  had  not  been  deficient  in  their  duty.  The  Arme- 
nian priest  was  as  dull  as  they  usually  are.  He  sent 
for  me  one  Sunday  evening,  to  come  to  church ;  though 
he  was  ministering  when  I  entered,  he  came  out,  and 
brought  me  within  the  rails  of  the  altar;  and  at  the 
time  of  incense,  censed  me  four  times,  while  the  others 
were  honored  with  only  one  fling  of  the  censer:  this 
the  old  man  begged  me  afterwards  to  notice.  But 
though  his  civility  was  well  meant,  I  could  hardly 
prevail  upon  myself  to  thank  him  for  it.  It  was  due, 
lie  said,  to  a  Padre  ;  thus  we  provide  for  the  honor  of 
our  own  order,  not  contented  with  that  degree  of  re- 
spect which  really  belongs  to  us.  Walking  afterwards 
with  him  by  the  sea-shore,  I  tried  to  engage  him  in  a 
conversation  respecting  the  awful  importance  of  our 
office ;  but  nothing  could  be  more  vapid  and  inane  than 
his  remarks. 

"  One  day  we  called  on  the  governor,  a  Persian 
Khan:  he  was  very  particular  in  his  attentions,  seated 
me  on  his  own  seat,  and  then  sat  by  my  side.  After 
the  usual  salutations  and  inquiries,  the  calean  (or 
hookah)  was  introduced ;  then  coffee  in  China  cups 
placed  within  silver  ones,  then  calean,  then  some  rose- 
water  syrup,  then  calean.  As  there  were  long  inter- 
vals, often,  in  which  nought  was  heard  but  the  gurg- 
ling of  the  calean,  I  looked  round  with  some  anxiety 


HENRY    MARTYN.  31 1 

for  something  to  discourse  upon,  and  observing  the 
windows  to  be  of  stained  glass,  I  began  to  question 
liini  about  the  art  of  coloring  glass,  observing  that  the 
modern  Europeans  were  inferior  to  the  ancient  in  the 
manufacture  of  that  article.  He  expressed  his  surprise 
that  Europeans,  who  were  so  skillful  in  making 
watches,  should  fail  in  any  handicraft  work.  I  could 
not  help  recollecting  the  Emperor  of  China's  sarcastic 
remark  on  the  Europeans  and  their  arts,  and  therefore 
dropped  the  subject.  On  his  calean — I  called  it  hookah 
at  first,  but  he  did  not  understand  me— I  noticed  se- 
veral little  paintings  of  the  Virgin  and  Child,  and 
asked  him  whether  such  things  were  not  unlawful 
among  the  Mohammedans?  He  answered  very  coolly, 
(Yes;'  as  much  as  to  say,  'What  then?'  I  lamented 
that  the  Eastern  Christians  should  use  such  things  in 
their  churches.  He  repeated  the  words  of  one  he  ve- 
nerated, who  was  found  fault  with  for  having  an  image 
before  him  while  at  prayer:  'God  is  nearer  to  me 
than  that  image,  so  that  I  do  not  see  it.'  We  then 
talked  of  the  ancient  Caliphs  of  Bagdad  ;  their  magni- 
ficence, regard  for  learning,  &c.  This  man,  I  after- 
wards found,  is,  like  most  of  the  other  grandees  of  the 
east,  a  murderer.  He  was  appointed  to  the  govern- 
ment of  Bushire,  in  the  place  of  Arab  Shekb,  in  whose 
family  it  had  been  for  many  years.  The  Persian, 
dreading  the  resentment  of  the  other  Arab  families, 
invited  the  heads  of  them  to  a  feast.  After  they  had 
regaled  themselves  a  little,  he  proposed  to  them  to 
take  off  their  swords,  as  they  were  all  friends  toge- 
ther: they  did  so,  a  signal  was  given,  and  a  band  of 
ruffians  murdered  them  all  immediately.    The  gover- 


312  MEMOIR   OP 

nor  rode  off  with  a  body  of  troops  to  their  villages,  and 
murdered  or  secured  their  wives  and  children.  This 
was  about  two  years  and  a  half  ago. 

"  A  bd  all  ah  Aga,  a  Turk,  who  expects  to  be  Pacha 
of  Bagdad,  called  to  examine  us  in  Arabic;  he  is  a 
great  Arabic  scholar  himself,  and  came  to  see  how 
much  we  knew;  or  rather,  if  the  truth  were  known, 
to  show  how  much  he,himself  knew.  There  was  lately 
a  conspiracy  at  Bagdad,  to  murder  the  Pacha.  ITe  was 
desired  to, add  his  name,  which  he  did  by  compulsion, 
but  secured,  himself  from  putting  his  seal  to  it,  pre- 
tending he  had  lost  it:  this  saved  him.  All  the  con- 
spirators were  discovered  and  put  to  death ;  he  es- 
caped with  his  life,  but  was  obliged  to  fly  to  Bushire. 

"On  the  30th  of  May  our  Persian  dresses  were 
ready,  and,  we  set  out  for.,Shiraz.  The  Persian  dress 
consists,  of,  first,  stockings  and  shoes  id  one,  next,  a 
pair  of  large  blue  trowsers,  or  else  a  pair  of  huge  red 
boots  ;  then  the  shirt,  then  the  tunic,  and  above  it  the 
coat,  both  of  chintz,  and  a  great  coat.  I  have  here  de- 
scribed,my  own  dress,  most  of  which  I  have  on  at  this 
moment.  On  the  head  is  worn  an  enormous' cone, 
made  of  the  skin  of  the  black  Tartar  sheep,  with  the 
wool  on.  If  to  this  description  of  my  dress  I  add,  that 
my  beard  and  mustachios  have  been  suffered  to  vege- 
tate undisturbed  ever  since  I  left  India — that  I  am  sit- 
ting on  a  Persian  carpet,  in  a  room  without  tables  or 
chairs — and  that  I  bury  my  hand  in  the  pillau,  without 
waiting  for  spoon  or  plate — you  will  give  me  credit 
for  being  already  an  accomplished  Oriental. 

"At  ten  o'clock,  on  the  30th,  our  cafila  began  to 
move.  It  consisted  chiefly  of  mules,  with  a  few  horses. 


HENRY   MARTYN.  313 

I  wished  to  have  a  mule,  but  the  muleteer  favored  me 
with  his  own  pony ;  this  animal  had  a  bell  fastened  to 
its  neck.  To  add  solemnity  to  the  scene,  a  Bombay 
trumpeter,  who  was  going  up  to  join  the  embassy,  was 
directed  to  blow  a  blast  as  we  moved  off  the  ground  ; 
but  whether  it  was  that  the  trumpeter  was  not  an 
adept  in  the  science,  or  that  his  instrument  was  out  of 
order,  the  crazy  sounds  that  saluted  our  ears  had  a  lu- 
dicrous effect.  At  last,  after  some  jostling,  mutual  re- 
criminations, and  recalcitrating  of  the  steeds,  we  each 
found  our  places,  and  moved  out  of  the  gate  of  the 
city  in  good  order.  The  Resident  accompanied  us  a 
little  way,  and  then  left  us  to  pursue  our  journey  over 
the  plain.  It  was  a  fine  moonlight  night,  the  scene 
new,  and  perfectly  oriental,  and  nothing  prevented  me 
from  indulging  my  own  reflections.  I  felt  a  little  me- 
lancholy, but  commended  myself  anew  to  God,  and 
felt  assured  of  his  blessing,  presence,  and  protection. 
As  the  night  advanced,  the  cafila  grew  quiet;  on  a 
sudden  one  of  the  muleteers  began  to  sing,  and  sang 
in  a  voice  so  plaintive,  that  it  was  impossible  not  to 
have  one's  attention  arrested.  Every  voice  was  hushed. 
As  you  are  a  Persian  scholar,  I  write  down  the  whole, 
with  a  translation : 

•Think  not  that  e'er  my  heart  eould  dwell 

1  Contented  far  from  thee  : 
'  How  can  the  fresh-caught  nightingale 

'  Enjoy  tranquillity  ? 

•O  then  forsake,  thy  friend  for  nought 

1  That  slanderous  tongues  can  say : 
'The  heart  that  fixeth  where  it  ought, 

'No  power  can  rend  away.' 

27 


314  MEMOIR  OP 

"  Thus  far  my  journey  was  agreeable  ;  now  for  mis- 
eries. At  sunrise  we  came  to  our  ground  at  Ahmede, 
six  parasangs,  and  pitched  our  little  tent  under  a  tree ; 
*t  was  the  only  shelter  we  could  get.  At  first,  the  heat 
was  not  greater  than  we  had  felt  in  India,  but  it  soon 
became  so  intense  as  to  be  quite  alarming.  When  the 
thermometer  was  above  112°,  fever  heat,  I  began  to 
lose  my  strength  fast;  at  last  it  became  quite  intolera- 
ble. I  wrapped  myself  up  in  a  blanket  and  all  the 
warm  covering  I  could  get,  to  defend  myself  from  the 
external  air  ;  by  which  means  the  moisture  was  kept  a 
little  longer  upon  the  body,  and  not  so  speedily  evapo- 
rated as  when  the  skin  was  exposed  ;  one  of  my  com- 
panions followed  my  example,  and  found  the  benefit  of 
it.  But  the  thermometer  still  rising,  and  the  moisture 
of  the  body  being  quite  exhausted,  I  grew  restless,  and 
thought  I  should  have  lost  my  senses.  The  thermo- 
meter at  last  stood  at  126° ;  in  this  state  I  composed  my- 
self, and  concluded  that  though  I  might  hold  out  a  day 

or  two,  death  was  inevitable.     Capt.  ,  who  sat  it 

out,  continued  to  tell  the  hour  and  height  of  the  ther- 
mometer; and  with  what  pleasure  did  we  hear  of  its 
sinking  to  120°,  118°,  &c.  At  last  the  fierce  sun  re- 
tired, and  I  crept  out,  more  dead  than  alive.  It  was 
then  a  difficulty  how  I  could  proceed  on  my  journey  ; 
for  besides  the  immediate  effects  of  the  heat,  I  had  no 
opportunity  of  making  up  for  the  last  night's  want  of 
sleep,  and  had  eaten  nothing.  However,  while  they 
were  loading  the  mules  I  got  an  hour's  sleep,  and  set 
out,  the  muleteer  leading  my  horse,  and  Zachariah, 
my  servant,  an  Armenian,  of  Isfahan,  doing  all  in  his 
power  to  encourage  me.    The  cool  air  of  the  night  re- 


HENRY    MARTYN.  315 

stored  me  wonderfully,  so  that  I  arrived  at  our  next 
munzel  with  no  other  derangement  than  that  occasion- 
ed by  want  of  sleep.  Expecting  another  such  day  as 
the  former,  we  began  to  make  preparation  the  instant 
we  arrived  on  the  ground.  I  got  a  tattie  made  of  the 
branches  of  the  date-tree,  and  a  Persian  peasant  to 
water  it ;  by  this  means  the  thermometer  did  not  rise 
higher  than  114°.  But  what  completely  secured  me 
from  the  heat  was  a  large  wet  towel,  which  I  wrap- 
ped round  my  head  and  body,  muffling  up  the  lower 
part  in  clothes.  How  could  I  but  be  grateful  to  a  gra- 
cious Providence  for  giving  me  so  simple  a  defence 
against  what,  I  am  persuaded,  would  have  destroyed 
my  life  that  day.  We  took  care  not  to  go  without 
nourishment,  as  we  had  done ;  the  neighboring  vil- 
lage supplied  us  with  curds  and  milk.  At  sunset,  ris- 
ing up  to  go  out,  a  scorpion  fell  upon  my  clothes; 
not  seeing  where  it  fell,  I  did  not  know  what  it  was; 

but  Capt. pointing  it  out,  gave  the  alarm,  and  I 

struck  it  off,  and  he  killed  it.  The  night  before  we 
found  a  black  scorpion  in  our  tent;  this  made  us  ra 
ther  uneasy  ;  so  that,  though  the  cafila  did  not  start 
till  midnight,  we  got  no  sleep,  fearing  we  might  be 
visited  by  another  scorpion. 

"  The  next  morning  we  arrived  at  the  foot  of  the 
mountains,  at  a  place  where  we  seemed  to  have  disco- 
vered one  of  nature's  ulcers.  A  strong  suffocating  smell 
of  naphtha  announced  something  more  than  ordinarily 
foul  in  the  neighborhood.  We  saw  a  river;  what  flowed 
in  it,  it  seemed  difficult  to  say,  whether  it  were  water 
or  green  oil;  it  scarcely  moved,  and  the  stones  which 
it  laved,  it  left  of  greyish  color,  as  if  its  foul  touch  hud 


316 


MEMOIR    OF, 


given  them  the  leprosy.  Our  place  of  encampment 
this  day  was  a  grove  of  date-trees,  where  the  atmos- 
phere, at  sunrise,  was  ten  times  hotter  than  the  ambient 
air.  I  threw  myself  down  on  the  burning  ground,  and 
slept :  when  the  tent  came  up,  I  awoke,  as  usual,  in  a 
burning  fever.  All  this  day  I  had  recourse  to  the  wet 
towel,  which  kept  me  alive,  but  would  allow  of  no 

sleep.  It  was  a  sorrowful  Sabbath ;  but  Capt. read 

a  few  hymns,  in  which  I  found  great  consolation.  At 
nine  in  the  evening  we  decamped.  The  ground  and  air 
were  so  insufferably  hot,  that  I  could  not  travel  with- 
out a  wet  towel  round  my  face  and  neck.  This  night, 
for  the  first  time,  we  began  to  ascend  the  mountains. 
The  road  often  passed  so  close  to  the  edge  of  the  tre- 
mendous precipices,  that  one  false  step  of  the  horse 
would  have  plunged  his  rider  into  inevitable  destruc- 
tion. In  such  circumstances  I  found  it  useless  to  at- 
tempt guiding  the  animal,  and  therefore  gave  him  the 
rein.  These  poor  animals  are  so  used  to  journies  of 
this  sort,  that  they  generally  step  sure.  There  was  no- 
thing to  mark  the  road  but  the  rocks  being  a  little 
more  worn  in  one  place  than  in  another.  Sometimes 
my  horse,  which  led  the  way,  as  being  the  muleteer's, 
stopped,  as  if  to  consider  about  the  way :  for  myself,  I 
could  not  guess,  at  such  times,  where  the  road  lay ; 
but  he  always  found  it.  The  sublime  scenery  would 
have  impressed  me  much,  in  other  circumstances ;  but 
my  sleepiness  and  fatigue  rendered  me  insensible  to 
every  thing  around  me.  At  last  we  emerged  superas 
ad  auras,*  not  on  the  top  of  a  mountain,  to  go  down 

*  To  open  air. 


HENRY   ttAHTYN.  317 

again — but  to  a  plain  or  upper  world.  At  the  pass, 
where  a  cleft  in  the  mountain  admitted  us  into  the 
plain,  was  a  station  of  Rahdars.  While  they  were  ex- 
amining the  muleteer's  passports,  &c.  time  was  given 
for  the  rest  of  the  cafila  to  come  up,  and  I  got  a  little 
sleep  for  a  few  minutes.  We  rode  briskly  over  the 
plain,  breathing  a  purer  air,  and  soon  came  in  sight  of 
a  fair  edifice,  built  by  the  king  of  the  country  for  the 
refreshment  of  pilgrims.  In  this  caravansera  we  took 
up  our  abode  for  the  day.  It  was  more  calculated  for 
eastern  than  European  travelers,  having  no  means  of 
keeping  out  of  the  air  and  light.  We  found  the  ther- 
mometer at  110°.  At  the  passes  we  met  a  man  travel- 
ing down  to  Bushire  with  a  load  of  ice,  which  he  wil- 
lingly disposed  of  to  us.  The  next  night  we  ascended 
another  range  of  mountains,  and  passed  over  a  plain, 
where  the  cold  was  so  piercing,  that,  with  all  the 
clothes  we  could  muster,  we  were  shivering.  At  the 
end  of  this  plain  we  entered  a  dark  valley,  contained 
by  two  ranges  of  hills  converging  to  one  another. 
The  muleteer  gave  notice  he  saw  robbers.  It  proved 
to  be  a  false  alarm  ;  but  the  place  was  fitted  to  be  a  re- 
treat for  robbers  ;  there  being,  on  each  side,  caves  and 
fastnesses  from  which  they  might  have  killed  every 
man  of  us.  After  ascending  another  mountain,  we  de- 
scended, by  a  very  long  and  circuitous  route,  into  an 
extensive  valley,  where  we  were  exposed  to  the  sun 
till  eight  o'clock.  Whether  from  the  sun,  or  from  con- 
tinued want  of  sleep,  I  could  not,  on  my  arrival  at 
Carzeroon,  compose  myself  to  sleep  ;  there  seemed  to 
be  a  fire  within  my  head,  my  skin  like  a  cinder,  and 
the  pulse  violent.  Through  the  day  it  was  again  too 
27* 


318  MEMOIR  OP 

hot  to  sleep  ;  though  the  place  we  occupied  was  a  sort 
of  a  summer-house,  in  a  garden  of  cypress  trees,  ex- 
ceedingly well  fitted  up  with  mats  and  colored  glass. 
Had  the  cafila  gone  on  that  night,  I  could  not  have 
accompanied  it;  but  it  halted  here  a  day ;  by  which 
means  I  got  a  sort  of  night's  rest,  though  I  awoke 
twenty  times  to  dip  my  burning  hand  in  water.  Though 
Carzeroon  is  the  second  greatest  town  in  Fars,  we 
could  get  nothing  but  bread,  milk,  and  eggs,  and  those 
with  difficulty.  The  Governor,  who  is  under  great 
obligations  to  the  English,  heard  of  our  arrival,  but 
sent  no  message. 

June.  5.—"  At  ten  we  left  Carzeroon,  and  ascended  a 
mountain :  we  then  descended  from  it  on  the  other 
side,  into  a  beautiful  valley,  where  the  opening  dawn 
discovered  to  us  ripe  fields  of  wheat  and  barley,  with 
the  green  oak,  here  and  there,  in  the  midst  of  it.  We 
were  reminded  of  an  autumnal  morning  in  England. 
Thermometer  62°." 

June  6. — "Halfway  up  the  Peergan  mountain  we 
found  a  caravansera.  There  being  no  village  in  the 
neighborhood,  we  had  brought  supplies  from  Carze- 
roon. My  servant  Zachary  got  a  fall  from  his  mule 
this  morning,  which  much  bruised  him;  he  looked 
very  sorrowful,  and  had  lost  much  of  his  garrulity. 
Zachary  had  become  remarkable  throughout  the  cafila 
for  making  speeches ;  he  had  something  to  say  to  all 
people,  and  on  all  occasions." 

June  7. — "  Left  the  caravansera  at  one  this  morn- 
ing, and  continued  to  ascend.  The  hours  we  were  per- 
mitted to  rest,  the  musketoes  had  effectually  prevented 
me  from  using ;  so  that  I  never  felt  more  miserable 


HENRY   MARTYN.  319 

and  disordered  ;  the  cold  was  very  severe ;  for  fear  of 
falling  off,  from  sleep  and  numbness,  I  walked  a  good 
part  of  the  way.  We  pitched  our  tent  in  the  vale  of 
Dustarjan,  near  a  crystal  stream,  on  the  banks  of  which 
we  observed  the  clover  and  golden  cup :  the  whole  val- 
ley was  one  green  field,  in  which  large  herds  of  cattle 
were  browsing.  The  temperature  was  about  that  of 
spring  in  England.  Here  a  few  hours'  sleep  recovered 
me,  in  some  degree,  from  the  stupidity  in  which  J  had 
been  for  some  days.  I  awoke  with  a  light  heart,  and 
said,  'He  knoweth  our  frame,  and  remembereth  we 
are  dust.  He  redeemeth  our  life  from  destruction,  and 
crowneth  us  with  loving-kindness  and  tender  mercies. 
He  maketh  us  to  lie  down  in  the  green  pastures,  and 
leadeth  us  beside  the  still  waters.'  And  when  we  have 
left  this  vale  of  tears,  there  is  no  more  sorrow,  nor 
sighing,  nor  any  more  pain.  '  The  sun  shall  not  light 
upon  thee,  nor  any  heat :  but  the  Lamb  shall  lead  thee 
to  living  fountains  of  waters.'  " 

June  8. — "  Went  on  to  a  caravansera,  three  para- 
sangs,  where  we  passed  the  day.  At  night  set  out  upon 
our  last  march  for  Shiraz.  Sleepiness,  my  old  com- 
panion and  enemy,  again  overtook  me.  I  was  in  per- 
petual danger  of  falling  off  my  horse,  till  at  last  I  push- 
ed on  to  a  considerable  distance  beyond  the  caflla, 
planted  my  back  against  a  wall,  and  slept  I  know  not 
how  long ;  till  the  good  muleteer  came  up  and  gently 
waked  me." 

"  In  the  morning  of  the  9th  we  found  ourselves  in 
the  plain  of  Shiraz.  We  put  up  at  first  in  a  garden,  but 
are  now  at  Jaffier  Ali  Khan's." 

Arrived  at  the  celebrated  seat  of  Persian  literature, 


320  MEMOIR    OF 

Mr.  Martyn,  having  ascertained  the  general  correct- 
ness of  the  opinion  delivered  at  Calcutta,  respecting 
the  translation  of  the  New  Testament  by  Sabat,  imme- 
diately commenced  another  version  in  the  Persian 
language.  An  able  and  willing  assistant,  in  this  ardu 
ous  and  important  work,  presented  himself  in  the  per 
son  of  Mirza  Seid  Ali  Khan,  the  brother-in-law  of  his 
host,  Jaffier  Ali  Khan.  His  coadjutor,  he  soon  disco- 
vered, was  one  of  a  numerous  and  increasing  religious 
community,  whose  tenets,  if  that  term  be  not  inappli- 
cable to  any  thing  of  so  fluctuating  and  indefinite  a 
nature  as  their  sentiments,  appear  to  consist  in  a  re- 
fined mysticism  of  the  most  latitudinarian  complexion ; 
a  quality,  be  it  remembered,  entirely  opposite  to  the 
exclusive  character  and  inflexible  spirit  of  Christianity; 
and  which,  pervading,  as  it  does  so  completely,  the 
system  of  Soofeism,  sufficiently  accounts  for  its  tole- 
ration under  a  Mohammedan  despotism,  of  a  purer  and 
more  absolute  kind  than  exists  even  in  the  Turkish 
dominions. 

In  Jaffier  Ali  Khan,  a  Mohammedan  of  rank  and 
consequence,  to  whom  Mr.  Martyn  had  letters  of  re- 
commendation, he  found  a  singular  urbanity  of  man- 
ners, united  to  a  temper  of  more  solid  and  substantial 
excellence — a  kindness  of  disposition,  ever  fertile  in 
expedients  conducive  to  the  comfort  and  convenience 
of  his  guest.  There  was  in  him  also,  as  well  as  in  his 
brother-in-law,  what  was  still  more  gratifying,  an  en- 
tire absence  of  bigotry  and  prejudice;  and  on  all  occa- 
sions he  was  ready  to  invite,  rather  than  decline,  the 
freest  interchange  of  opinion  on  religious  topics. 

The  work  for  which  Mr.  Martyn  had  come  to  Shi- 


HENRY    MARTYN.  321 

raz,  was  commenced  on  the  17th  of  June,  little  more 
than  a  week  after  his  reaching  that  city.  It  was  pre- 
ceded by  a  very  pleasing  interview  with  two  priests  of 
the  Mohammedan  faith,  of  which  we  have  this  ac- 
count:-—"In  the  evening,  Seid  AH  came,  with  two 
Moollahs,  disciples  of  his  uncle  Mirza  Ibraheem,  and 
with  them  I  had  a  very  long  and  temperate  discus- 
sion. One  of  them  read  the  beginning  of  St.  John  in 
the  Arabic,  and  inquired  very  particularly  into  our 
opinions  respecting  the  person  of  Christ ;  and  when 
he  was  informed  that  we  did  not  consider  his  human 
nature  eternal,  nor  his  mother  divine,  seemed  quite 
satisfied,  and  remarked  to  the  others,  '  how  much  mis- 
apprehension is  removed  when  people  come  to  an  ex- 
planation.' " 

As  Mr.  Marty n  was  himself  an  object  of  attention 
and  curiosity  in  Shiraz,  and  the  New  Testament  itself 
was  wholly  new  to  his  coadjutor,  he  was  not  suffered 
to  proceed  with  his  work  without  many  interruptions. 
"  Seid  Ali,"  he  writes,  June  17,  "began  translating  the 
Gospel  of  John  with  me.  We  were  interrupted  by  the 
entrance  of  two  very  majestic  personages,  one  of  whom 
was  the  great  grandson  of  Nadir  Shah.  The  uncle  of 
the  present  king  used  to  wait  behind  his  father's  table. 
He  is  now  a  prisoner  here,  subsisting  on  a  pension." 

June  18. — "  At  the  request  of  our  host,  who  is  al- 
ways planning  something  for  our  amusement,  we 
passed  the  day  at  a  house  built  half-way  up  one  of  the 
hills  which  surround  the  town.  A  little  rivulet,  issuing 
from  the  rock,  fertilizes  a  few  yards  of  ground,  which 
bear,  in  consequence,  a  cypress  or  two,  sweet  briar, 
jessamine,  and  pinks.   Here,  instead  of  a  quiet  retreat, 


322  MEMOIR    OF 

we  found  a  number  of  noisy,  idle  fellows,  who  were 
gambling  all  day,  and  as  loquacious  as  the  men  who 
occupy  an  alehouse  bench.  The  Persians  have  cer- 
tainly a  most  passionate  regard  for  water ;  I  suppose 
because  they  have  so  little  of  it.  There  was  nothing 
at  all  in  this  place  worth  climbing  so  high  for,  except 
the  little  rivulet." 

June  22. — "The  prince's  secretary,  who  is  consi- 
dered to  be  the  best  prose-writer  in  Shiraz,  called  upon 
us.  One  of  his  friends  wanted  to  talk  about  Soofeism. 
They  believe  they  know  not  what.  It  is  mere  vanity 
that  makes  them  profess  this  mysticism.  He  thought 
to  excite  my  wonder  by  telling  me  that  I,  and  every 
created  thing,  was  God.  I  asked  how  this  was  consis- 
tent with  his  religion?  He  then  mentioned  the  words 
from  the  Koran,  '  God  can  be  with  another  thing  only 
by  pervading  it.'  Either  from  curiosity,  or  to  amuse 
themselves  at  an  Indian's  expense,  they  called  in  an 
Indian  Moonshee,  who  had  come  with  us  from  Ben- 
gal, and  requested  him  to  recite  some  of  his  poetry. 
Thus  I  had  an  opportunity  of  witnessing  this  exhibi- 
tion of  eastern  folly.  After  a  few  modest  apologies, 
the  Indian  grew  bold,  and  struck  off  a  few  stanzas. 
The  Persians  affected  to  admire  them,  though  it  was 
easy  to  see  that  they  were  laughing  at  his  pronuncia- 
tion and  foreign  idiom.  However,  they  condescended 
to  recite,  in  their  turn,  a  line  or  two  of  their  own  com- 
position ;  and  before  they  went  away,  wrote  down  a 
stanza  or  two  of  the  Indian's,  to  signify  that  they  were 
worth  preserving." 

June  26.—"  Two  young  men  from  the  college,  full 
of  zeal  and  logic,  came  this  morning  to  try  me  with 


HENRY    MARTYN.  323 

hard  questions,  such  as,  Whether  being  be  one  or 
two?  What  is  the  state  and  form  of  disembodied  spi- 
rits? and  other  foolish  and  unlearned  questions,  min- 
istering strife ;  on  all  which  I  declined  wasting  my 
breath.  At  last,  one  of  them,  who  was  about  twenty- 
years  of  age,  discovered  the  true  cause  of  his  coming, 
by  asking  me  bluntly  to  bring  a  proof  for  the  religion 
of  Christ.  '  You  allow  the  divine  mission  of  Christ,' 
said  I,  '  why  need  I  prove  it?'  Not  being  able  to  draw 
me  into  an  argument,  they  said  what  they  wished  to 
say,  namely,  ?  that  I  had  no  other  proof  for  the  mira- 
cles of  Christ  than  they  had  for  those  of  Mohammed, 
which  is  tradition.'  '  Softly,'  said  I,  '  you  will  be  pleas- 
ed to  observe  a  difference  between  your  books  and 
ours.  When,  by  tradition,  we  have  reached  our  seve- 
ral books,  our  narrators  were  eye-witnesses ;  yours 
are  not,  nor  nearly  so.'  In  consequence  of  the  inter- 
ruption these  lads  gave  me,  for  they  talked  a  long  time 
with  great  intemperance,  I  did  little  to-day. 

"  In  the  evening,  Seid  Ali  asked  me  '  the  cause  of 
evil?'  I  said,  '  I  know  nothing  about  it.'  He  thought 
he  could  tell  me ;  so  I  let  him  reason  on,  till  he  soon 
found  he  knew  as  little  about  the  matter  as  myself. 
He  wanted  to  prove  that  there  was  no  real  difference 
between  good  and  evil — that  it  was  only  apparent.  I 
observed  that  this  difference,  if  only  apparent,  was  the 
cause  of  a  great  deal  of  real  misery. 

"  While  correcting  the  fifth  of  John,  he  was  not  a 
little  surprised  at  finding  such  an  account  as  that  of  an 
angel  coming  down  and  troubling  the  waters.  When 
he  found  that  I  had  no  way  of  explaining  it,  but  was 
obliged  to  understand  it  literally,  he  laughed,  as  if  say- 


324  MEMOIR   OP 

ing,  'there  are  other  fools  in  the  world  besides  Ma* 
hammedans.'  I  tried  to  lessen  his  contempt  and  incre- 
dulity by  saying  that  'the  first  inquiry  tt'as,  is  the 
book  from  God  V  '  Oh  !  to  be  sure,'  said  he ;'  it  is  writ- 
ten in  the  Bible  j  we  must  believe  it/  I  asked  him 
•  whether  there  was  any  thing  contrary  to  reason  in  the 
narrative'?  whether  it  was  not  even  possible  that  the 
salubrious  powers  of  other  springs  were  owing  to  the 
descent  of  an  angel  V  Lastly,  I  observed,  '  that  all 
natural  agents  might  be  called  the  angels  of  God/ 
'This,'  he  said,  'was  consonant  to  their  opinions; 
and  that  when  they  spoke  of  the  angel  of  the  winds, 
the  angel  of  death,  &c.  nothing  more  was  meant  than 
the  cause  of  the  winds,  &c.r" 

June  27. — "Before  I  had  taken  my  breakfast,  the 
younger  of  the  youths  came,  and  forced  me  into  a 
conversation.  As  soon  as  he  heard  the  word  '  Father/ 
in  the  translation,  used  for  'God,'  he  laughed,  and 
went  away.  Soon  after,  two  men  came  in,  and  spoke 
violently  for  hours.  Seid  Ali,  and  a  respectable  Mou- 
luwee,  whom  he  brought  to  introduce  to  me,  took  up 
the  cudgels  against  them,  and  said  that '  the  onus  pro" 
bandi  rested  with  them,  and  not  with  me/  Zachariah 
told  me  this  morning  that  I  was  the  town  talk ;  and  it 
was  asserted  that  I  was  come  to  Shiraz  to  be  a  Mus- 
sulman, and  should  then  bring  five  thousand  men  to 
Shiraz,  under  pretence  of  making  them  Mussulmeu, 
but  in  reality  to  take  the  city."  : 

June  28.—"  The  poor  boy,  "While  writing  how  one 
of  the  servants  of  the  hi^h-priest  struck  the  Lord  on 
.the  face,  stopped,  and  said,  '  Sir,  did  not  his  hand  dry 
up?"' 


HENRY   MAftTYN.  325 

June  30.— Sunday.— "Preached  to  the  Ambassador's 
suite  on  the  '  faithful  saying.'  " 

July  1. — "A  party  of  Armenians  came,  and  said, 
among  other  things,  that  the  Mohammedans  would  be 
glad  to  be  under  our  English  government.  Formerly 
they  despised  and  hated  the  Feringees,  but  now  they 
begin  to  say,  '  What  harm  do  they  do  1  they  take  no 
man's  wife,  no  man's  property.' 

"  Abdoolghunee,  the  Jew  Mohammedan,  came  to 
prove  that  he  had  found  Mohammed  in  the  Pentateuch. 
Among  other  strange  things,  he  said  that  the  Edom- 
ites  meant  the  Europeans,  and  that  Mount  Sion  was 
in  Europe.  Afterwards  Seid  Ali  asked  me  to  tell  him 
in  confidence,  why  I  believed  no  prophet  could  come 
after  Christ.  I  chose  to  begin  with  the  atonement,  and 
wished  to  show  that  it  was  of  such  a  nature  that  sal- 
vation by  another  was  impossible.  'You  talk,'  said  he, 
•  of  the  atonement,  but  I  do  not  see  it  any  where  in 
the  gospels.'  After  citing  two  passages  from  the  gos- 
pels, I  read  the  third  chapter  of  Romans,  and  the  fifty- 
third  of  Isaiah.  With  the  latter  he  was  much  struck. 
He  asked  many  more  questions,  the  scope  of  which 
was,  that  though  Islam  might  not  be  true,  he  might 
still  remain  in  it,  and  be  saved  by  the  Gospel.  I  said, 
1  You  deny  the  divinity  of  Christ.'  '  I  see  no  difficulty 
in  that.'  said  he.  •'  You  do  not  observe  the  institutions 
of  Christ — baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper.'  '  These,' 
said  he,  '  are  mere  emblems ;  and  if  a  man  have  the 
reality,  what  need  of  emblems  V  l  Christ,'  said  1, 1  fore- 
saw that  the  reality  would  not  be  so  constantly  per- 
ceived without  them,  and  therefore  enjoined  them.' 
He  said  that '  in  his  childhood  he  used  to  cry  while 
28 


326  MEMOIR   OP 

hearing  about  the  sufferings  of  Christ,'  and  he  wept 
while  mentioning  it." 

The  3d  of  July  was  distinguished  by  a  conversation 
kept  up  between  Mr.  Martyn  and  two  Moollahs,  one 
of  whom  displayed  a  very  different  spirit  from  that 
which  had  actuated  those  ministers  of  the  Mohamme- 
dan religion  who  first  visited  him.  "  The  Jewish  Mool- 
lah  Abdoolghunee,  with  Moollah  Abulhasan,"  he 
writes,  "  came  prepared  for  a  stiff  disputation,  and  ac- 
cordingly the  altercation  was  most  violent.  Jaffier 
Ali  Khan  and  Mirza  Seid  Ali  were  present,  with  many 
others.  The  Jew  began  by  asking,  whether  we  be- 
lieved that  Jesus  suffered  ?  I  referred  him  to  the  9th 
of  Daniel,  '  Messiah  shall  be  cut  off,  but  not  for  him- 
self.' I  begged  him  to  show  who  was  the  Messiah  of 
whom  Daniel  spoke,  if  it  was  not  Jesus. 

"  At  Abulhasan's  request,  he  began  to  give  his  rea- 
sons for  believing  that  Mohammed  was  foretold  in  the 
Old  Testament.  The  Jew  wanted  to  show  that  when 
it  is  said,  '  Moses  went  out,  and  the  twelve  princes 
with  him,'  the  meaning  is  that  Moses  had  twelve  reli- 
gious Khaleefs,  just  like  Mohammed.  I  explained  to 
the  Mussulman  that  they  were  not  for  religious  affairs, 
but  worldly ;  deciding  causes,  &c. ;  and  that  religious 
services  were  confined  to  one  tribe. 

"  He  proceeded  to  Deut.  18  :  18,  '  The  Lord  will 
raise  from  among  their  brethren.'  '  Brethren,'  he  said, 
'  must  mean  some  other  than  Jews.  That  Moses  and 
Jesus  were  not  alike.  Moses  gave  a  law  before  he 
went :  Jesus  did  not ;  his  disciples  made  one  for  him  ; 
whereas  Mohammed  left  a  book  himself.  That  Moses 
was  a  warrior ;  that  Christ  was  not ;  but  that  Moham- 


HENRY    MARTYN.  327 

med  was.'  I  replied — '  that  the  words  of  God,  "  from 
among  their  brethren,"  Moses  explained  by  those, 
"  from  among  thee  ;"  and  that  this  excludes  the  possi- 
bility of  Mohammed  being  meant.'  After  they  were 
gone,  I  found  Lev.  25  :  46,  which  supplies  a  complete 
answer.  In  reply  to  the  objection  that  Moses  and 
Christ  were  not  alike,  I  said,  '  that  in  respect  of  the 
prophetic  office,  there  was  such  a  likeness  as  did  not 
exist  between  any  other  two  prophets ;  in  that  each 
brought  a  new  law,  and  each  was  a  Mediator."1 

"  The  Jews  next  read  the  sixty-first  of  Isaiah,  and 
commented.  I  then  read  the  same  chapter,  and  ob- 
served that  Christ  had  cited  one  of  the  passages  for 
himself.  '  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is  upon  me,'  &c. 
This  they  attended  to,  because  Christ  had  said  so  ;  but 
as  for  Peter's  appropriating  the  passage  in  Deuterono- 
my to  Christ  (Acts,  3,)  they  made  no  account  of  it.  So 
ignorant  are  they  of  the  nature  of  revelation. 

'•  When  we  were  separating,  the  Moollah  Abulhasan 
gravely  asked  me  whether,  if  I  saw  proof  of  Moham- 
med's miracles,  I  would  believe,  and  act  as  one  who 
sought  the  truth?'  I  told  him  '  I  wished  for  nothing 
but  the  truth.'  He  then  said,  '  we  must  have  an  um- 
pire.' ■  But  where,'  said  I,  '  shall  we  find  an  impartial 
one  ?'  '  He  must  be  a  Jew,'  said  one.  '  Well,  then,' 
added  another,  '  let  Abdoolghunee  be  the  man.'  The 
apostate  Jew  swore,  by  the  four  sacred  books,  that  he 
would  give  'just  judgment.'  I  could  not  conceal  my 
indignation  at  such  a  ridiculous  proposal,  and  said  to 
the  Jew,  '  You  impartial !  As  a  Mohammedan,  you 
ought  to  speak  well  of  Christ ;  but  it  is  easy  to  see 
that,  like  your  brethren,  you  hate  Jesus  as  bitterly  as 


328  MEMOIR   OF 

ever.'  He  was  quite  alarmed  at  this  charge  before  the 
Mohammedans,  by  whom  he  has  long  been  considered 
as  no  true  Mohammedan  ;  and,  in  the  most  gentle 
manner  possible,  he  assured  me  that '  none  could  have 
a  greater  respect  for  Jesus  than  he  had  ;  and  that,  pos- 
sibly, in  the  text  in  Deuteronomy,  Jesus  might  be 
meant  as  well  as  Mohammed.' 

"  At  the  end  of  this  vehement  controversy,  when 
they  were  most  of  them  gone,  I  said  to  Seid  Ali,  '  that 
I  had  thought,  whatever  others  did,  he  would  not  have 
denied  me  common  justice.'  He  took  me  aside,  and 
said  to  me  very  earnestly,  '  You  did  not  understand 
me.  Abulhasan  is  my  enemy :  nothing  does  he  want 
so  much  as  to  bring  me  into  danger  ;  I  must  therefore 
show  some  little  regard  for  the  religion.'  He  told  me 
that  Mirza  Ibrahim,  the  preceptor  of  all  the  Moollahs, 
was  now  writing  a  book  in  defence  of  Mohammedan- 
ism, and  that  it  was  to  this  that  Abulhasan  alluded,  as 
that  which  was  to  silence  me  for  ever." 

July  4. — "  Seid  Ali  having  informed  the  Jew  that  I 
had  found  an  answer  to  his  argument  from  Genesis, 
14,  he  came  to  know  what  it  was,  and  staid  the  whole 
morning,  asking  an  infinity  of  questions.  He  showed 
himself  extremely  well  read  in  the  Hebrew  Bible  and 
Koran,  quoting  both  with  the  utmost  readiness.  He 
argued  a  little  for  the  Koran,  but  very  coldly.  He  con- 
cluded by  saying,  '  he  must  come  to  me  every  day, 
and  either  make  me  a  Mussulman,  or  become  himself 
a  Christian.' " 

The  progress  of  the  translation  gave  rise  to  the  fol- 
lowing affecting  discourse  between  Seid  Ali  and  Mr, 
Martyn.  "  Seid  Ali,  while  perusing  the  twelfth  of  John, 


HENRY    MARTYN.  329 

observed,  '  How  he  loved  these  twelve  persons  !'  '  Yes, 
said  I,  '  and  all  those  who  believe  on  him  through  their 
word.'  After  our  work  was  done,  he  began  to  say, 
From  my  childhood  I  have  been  in  search  of  a  reli- 
gion, and  am  still  undecided.  Till  now,  I  never  had 
an  opportunity  of  conversing  with  those  of  another 
religion  :  the  English  I  have  met  in  Persia  have  gene- 
rally been  soldiers,  or  men  occupied  with  the  world.' 
To  some  remarks  I  made  about  the  necessity  of  hav- 
ing the  mind  made  up  upon  such  a  subject,  consider- 
ing the  shortness  of  our  stay  here,  he  seemed  cordial- 
ly to  assent,  and  shed  tears.  I  recommended  prayer, 
and  the  consideration  of  that  text,  '  If  any  man  will  do 
his  will,  he  shall  know  of  the  doctrine  ;'  and  spoke 
as  having  found  it  verified  in  my  own  experience  ;  that 
when  I  could  once  say  before  God,  '  What  wilt  thou 
have  me  to  do  V  I  found  peace.  I  then  went  through 
all  the  different  states  of  my  mind  at  the  time  I  was 
called  to  the  knowledge  of  the  Gospel.  He  listened 
with  great  interest,  and  said,  '  You  must  not  regard 
the  loss  of  so  much  time  as  you  give  me,  because  it 
does  me  good.' " 

The  situation  of  those  whose  forefathers  crucified 
the  Lord  of  glory,  is  ever  pitiable  to  a  Christian  mind  : 
but  how  much  more  are  the  Jews  entitled  to  compas- 
sion, when  groaning  under  the  iron  rod  of  oppression 
on  the  one  hand,  and  tempted  on  the  other  to  exchange 
their  own  religion  for  a  base  imposture,  upon  the 
basest  considerations !  Who  can  read  the  following  ac- 
count of  their  condition  at  Shiraz,  without  sighing  over 
the  depth  of  their  temporal  and  spiritual  degradation ! 

July  5.-—"  The  Jew  came  again,  with  another  Jew, 
28* 


SdU  MEMOIR   OF 

both  Mussulmen.  The  prince  gives  every  Jew,  on  con- 
version, an  honorary  dress ;  so  they  are  turning  Mo- 
hammedans every  day.  A  young  man,  son  of  the  old 
Jew,  asked, '  How  it  could  be  supposed  that  God  would 
leave  so  many  nations  so  long  in  darkness,  if  Islam  be 
an  error?'  The  father  sat  with  great  complacency,  to 
see  how  I  could  get  over  this.  I  asked,  '  Why  God  for 
four  thousand  years  made  himself  known  to  their  na- 
tion only,  and  left  all  the  rest  in  darkness?'  They 
were  silent. 

"  The  old  man,  forgetting  he  was  a  Mussulman, 
asked  again,  '  If  Jesus  was  the  Messiah,  why  did  not 
the  fiery  wrath  of  God  break  out  against  them,  as  it 
did  formerly  for  every  small  offence  ?'  '  But  first,'  said 
he,  '  what  do  you  think  of  God's  severity  to  the  Jews 
at  other  times  ?'  I  said,  '  If  my  son  do  any  thing 
wrong,  I  punish  him;  but  with  the  thieves  and  mur- 
derers out  of  doors  I  have  nothing  to  do.'  This  affect- 
ed the  old  man;  and  his  son  recollected  many  pas- 
sages in  the  Bible  appropriate  to  this  sentiment,  and 
said,  '  Yes,  they  were  indeed  a  chosen  generation.'  I 
proceeded — '  But  did  not  the  wrath  of  God  break  out 
against  you  at  the  death  of  Christ,  in  a  more  dreadful 
manner  than  ever  it  did?'  They  mentioned  the  capti 
vity.  'But  what,'  said  I,  '  was  the  captivity?  it  lasted 
but  seventy  years.  But  now  seventeen  hundred  years 
have  passed  away,  and  have  you  a  king  or  a  tem- 
ple ?  Are  you  not  mean  and  despised  every  where  ?' 
They  seemod  to  feel  this,  and  nodded  assent. 

"During  this  conversation  I  said — 'God  has  raised 
up  a  great  prophet  from  the  midst  of  you,  and  now 
you  are  gone  after  a  stranger,  of  a  nation  who  were 


HENRY    MARTYN.  331 

always  your  enemies.  You  acknowledge  Jesus,  in 
deed ;  but  it  is  only  for  fear  of  the  sword  of  the  Ish- 
maelite.'  They  wondered  why  the  Christians  should 
love  them  more  than  they  do  the  Mohammedans,  as  I 
told  them  we  did;  and  pretended  to  argue  against  it, 
as  unreasonable,  evidently  from  a  wish  to  hear  me 
repeat  a  truth  which  was  so  agreeable  to  them." 

On  the  morning  of  the  6th,  Mr.  Martyn,  ever  anx- 
ious to  pay  all  due  reverence  to  '  the  powers  that  be,' 
presented  himself,  with  the  Ambassador  and  suite, 
before  Prince  Abbas  Mirza.  He  thus  describes  the 
ceremony :  "  Early  this  morning  I  went  with  the  Am- 
bassador and  his  suite  to  court,  wearing,  agreeable  to 
costume,  a  pair  of  red  cloth  stockings,  with  green, 
high-heeled  shoes.  When  we  entered  the  great  court 
of  the  palace,  a  hundred  fountains  began  to  play.  The 
Prince  appeared  at  the  opposite  side,  in  his  talar,  or 
hall  of  audience,  seated  on  the  ground.  Here  our  first 
bow  was  made.  When  we  came  in  sight  of  him,  we 
bowed  a  second  time,  and  entered  the  room.  He  did 
not  rise,  nor  take  notice  of  any  but  the  Ambassador, 
with  whom  he  conversed  at  the  distance  of  the  breadth 
of  the  room.  Two  of  his  ministers  stood  in  front  of 
the  hall,  outside;  the  Ambassador's  Mihmander  and 
the  Master  of  the  Ceremonies,  within,  at  the  door. 
WTe  sat  down  in  order,  in  a  line  with  the  Ambassador, 
■with  our  hats  on.  I  never  saw  a  more  sweet  and  en- 
gaging countenance  than  the  Prince's ;  there  was  such 
an  appearance  of  good  nature  and  humility  in  all  his 
demeanor,  that  I  could  scarcely  bring  myself  to  be- 
lieve that  he  would  be  guilty  of  any  thing  cruel  or  ty- 
rannical." 


332  MEMOIR   OF 

The  Jewish  Moollah,  who,  a  few  days  before,  had 
attempted  to  support  a  heresy  which  he  himself  did 
not  believe,  revisited  Mr.  Martyn,  accompanied  by  one 
of  his  brethren  who  had  apostatized.  These  were  fol- 
lowed, on  the  same  day,  by  two  other  visitors,  one  of 
whom  was  a  man  of  great  consequence,  and  of  equal 
courtesy.  "  The  Jew  came  again,"  he  says,  "  with 
one  of  his  apostate  brethren  from  Bagdad.  As  he  was 
boasting  to  Seid  Ali  that  he  had  gained  one  hundred 
Jews  to  Islam,  I  could  not  help  saying,  I  will  tell  you 
how  Jews  are  made  Mohammedans.  First,  the  Prince 
gives  them  a  dress ;  secondly — here  the  old  man  co- 
lored, and,  interrupting  me,  began  to  urge  that  it  was 
not  with  the  hope  of  any  worldly  advantage. 

"His  object  to-day  was,  to  prove  that  the  passages 
in  the  Old  Testament,  which  we  applied  to  Jesus,  did 
not  belong  to  him.  I  referred  him  to  the  16th  Psalm. 
He  said  '  that  none  of  the  prophets  saw  corruption.' 
He  did  not  recollect  the  miracle  wrought  by  the  bones 
of  Elisha ;  neither  did  I  at  the  time. 

"Mohammed  Shareef  Khan,  one  of  the  most  re- 
nowned of  the  Persian  generals,  having  served  the 
present  royal  family  for  four  generations,  called  to  see 
me,  out  of  respect  to  general  Malcolm.  An  Armenian 
priest  also,  on  his  way  from  Bussorah  to  Isfahan  :  he 
was  as  ignorant  as  the  rest  of  his  brethren.  To  my 
surprise  I  found  he  was  of  the  Latin  Church,  and  read 
the  service  in  Latin,  though  he  confessed  he  knew 
nothing  about  the  language." 

Mr.  Martyn,  unwilling  to  lose  any  opportunity  (if  it 
were  the  will  of  God)  of  benefiting  the  inhabitants  of 
Shiraz,  was  never  inaccessible  to  them.    Strict  as  he 


HENRY    MARTYN.  rfdrf 

was  in  the  observance  of  the  Sabbath,  he  admitted 
them  even  on  that  day  to  speak  with  him ;  for  he  had 
learnt  the  import  of  those  words,  "I  will  have  mercy 
and  not  sacrifice."  In  consequence,  however,  of  his  re- 
moval, in  the  middle  of  the  month  of  July,  to  a  gar- 
den in  the  suburbs  of  the  city,  where  his  kind  host 
had  pitched  a  tent  for  him,  to  relieve  the  tedium  of 
confinement  within  the  walls  of  Shiraz,  he  prosecuted 
the  work  before  him  uninterruptedly.  "  Living  amidst 
clusters  of  grapes,  by  the  side  of  a  clear  stream,"  as  he 
describes  it,  and  frequently  sitting  under  the  shade 
of  an  orange-tree,  which  Jaffier  Ali  Khan  delighted  to 
point  out  to  visitors,  he  passed  many  a  tranquil  hour, 
and  enjoyed  many  a  Sabbath  of  holy  rest  and  divine 
refreshment.  Of  one  of  these  Sabbaths  he  thus  writes, 
July  14. — "  The  first  Sabbath  morning  I  have  had  to 
myself  this  long  time,  and  I  spent  it  with  comfort  and 
profit.  Read  Isaiah  chiefly ;  and  hymns,  which,  as 
usual,  brought  to  my  remembrance  the  children  of 
God  in  all  parts  of  the  earth  ;  remembered,  especially, 
dear ,  as  he  desired  me,  on  this  his  birth-day." 


CHAPTER   IX. 

FIRST  PUBLIC  DISCUSSION  AT  SHIRAZ — MR.  MARTYN  REPLIES  TO 
A  DEFENCE  OF  MOHAMMEDANISM — INTERVIEW  WITH  THE 
HEAD    OF   THE  SOOFIES VISITS  PERSEPOLIS — TRANSLATIONS — 

DISCUSSIONS. 

The  day  following  this  happy,  though  solitary  Sab- 
bath, formed  a  contrast  to  its  peaceful  and  sacred  se- 


334  MEMOIR    OF 

renity  ;  being  the  day  of  Mr.  Martyn's  first  public  con- 
troversy with  the  Mohammedans. 

After  some  hesitation  and  demur,  the  Moojtuhid, 
or  Professor  of  Mohammedan  Law,  consented  to  a 
discussion  upon  religious  topics.  He  was  a  man  of  great 
consequence  in  Shiraz,  being  the  last  authority  in  the 
decision  of  all  matters  connected  with  his  profession  ; 
so  that  a  contest  with  him,  as  it  respected  rank,  pre- 
judice, popularity,  and  reputation  for  learning,  was 
manifestly  an  unequal  one.  Mr.  Martyn,  however, 
fearlessly  engaged  in  it,  knowing  in  whom  he  had  be- 
lieved. 

The  subjoined  is  the  account  he  has  left  of  this  dis- 
putation, if  such  indeed  it  can  be  called ;  for  the  Pro- 
fessor, it  seems,  could  not  so  far  forget  his  official  dig- 
nity as  to  dispute  fairly  and  temperately  ;  he  preferred 
the  easier  task  of  dogmatising  magisterially. 

"  He  first  ascertained  from  Seid  Ali,"  says  Mr.  Mar- 
tyn, "  that  I  did  not  want  demonstration,  but  admitted 
that  the  prophets  had  been  sent.  So,  being  a  little  easy 
at  this  assurance,  he  invited  us  to  dinner.  About  eight 
o'clock  at  night  we  went,  and,  after  passing  along 
many  an  avenue,  we  entered  a  fine  court,  where  was  a 
pond,  and,  by  the  side  of  it,  a  platform,  eight  feet  high, 
covered  with  carpets.  Here  sat  the  Moojtuhid  in  state, 
with  a  considerable  number  of  his  learned  friends — 
among  the  rest,  I  perceived  the  Jew.  One  was  at  his 
prayers.  I  was  never  more  disgusted  at  the  mockery 
of  this  kind  of  prayer.  He  went  through  the  evolutions 
with  great  exactness,  and  pretended  to  be  unmoved  at 
the  noise  and  chit-chat  of  persons  on  each  side  of  him. 
The  Professor  seated  Seid  Ali  on  his  right  hand,  and 


HENRY    MARTY  X.  333 

me  on  his  left.  Every  thing  around  bore  the  appear- 
ance of  opulence  and  ease,  and  the  swarthy  obesity  of 
the  little  personage  himself  led  me  to  suppose  that  he 
had  paid  more  attention  to  cooking  than  to  science. 
But  when  he  began  to  speak,  I  saw  reason  enough  for 
his  being  so  much  admired.  The  substance  of  his 
speech  was  flimsy  enough ;  but  he  spoke  with  uncom- 
mon fluency  and  clearness,  and  with  a  manner  confi- 
dent and  imposing.  He  talked  for  a  full  hour  about  the 
soul,  its  being  distinct  from  the  body,  superior  to  the 
brutes,  &c. — about  God ;  his  unity,  invisibility,  and 
other  obvious  and  acknowledged  truths.  After  this 
followed  another  discourse.  At  length,  after  clearing 
his  way  for  miles  around,  he  said  '  that  philosophers 
had  proved  that  a  single  being  could  produce  but  a 
single  being  ;  that  the  first  thing  God  had  created  was 
Wisdom,  a  being  perfectly  one  with  him ;  after  that, 
the  souls  of  men,  and  the  seventh  heaven ;  and  so  on, 
till  he  produced  matter,  which  is  merely  passive.'  He 
illustrated  the  theory,  by  comparing  all  being  to  a 
circle  ;  at  one  extremity  of  the  diameter  is  God,  at  the 
opposite  extremity  of  the  diameter  is  matter,  than  which 
nothing  in  the  world  is  meaner.  Rising  from  thence, 
the  highest  stage  of  matter  is  connected  with  the  low- 
est stage  of  vegetation ;  the  highest  of  the  vegetable 
world  with  the  lowest  of  the  animal ;  and  so  on,  till 
we  approach  the  point  from  which  all  proceeded. 
'  But,'  said  he,  '  you  will  observe,  that  next  to  God, 
something  ought  to  be,  which  is  equal  to  God;  for 
since  it  is  equally  near,  it  possesses  equal  dignity. 
What  this  is,  philosophers  are  not  agreed  upon.  You,' 
said  he,  '  say  it  is  Christ ;  but  we,  that  it  is  the  Spirit 


336  -   MEMOIR   OP 

of  the  Prophets.  All  this  is  what  the  philosophers  have 
proved,  independently  of  any  particular  religion.'  I 
rather  imagined  that  it  was  the  invention  of  some  an- 
cient Oriental  Christian,  to  make  the  doctrine  of  the 
Trinity  appear  more  reasonable.  There  were  a  hun- 
dred things  in  the  Professor's  harangue  that  might 
have  been  excepted  against,  as  mere  dreams  supported 
by  no  evidence :  but  I  had  no  inclination  to  call  in 
question  dogmas,  on  the  truth  or  falsehood  of  which 
nothing  in  religion  depended. 

"  He  was  speaking,  at  one  time,  about  the  angels  ; 
and  asserted  that  man  was  superior  to  them ;  and  that 
no  being  greater  than  man  could  be  created.  Here  the 
Jew  reminded  me  of  a  passage  in  the  Bible,  quoting 
something  in  Hebrew.  I  was  a  little  surprised,  and 
was  just  about  to  ask,  where  he  found  any  thing  in  the 
Bible  to  support  such  a  doctrine ;  when  the  Moojtuhid, 
not  thinking  it  worth  while  to  pay  any  attention  to 
what  the  Jew  said,  continued  his  discourse.  At  last 
the  Jew  grew  impatient,  and,  finding  an  opportunity 
of  speaking,  said  to  me,  '  Why  do  you  not  speak? — 
Why  do  not  you  bring  forward  your  objections?'  The 
Professor,  at  the  close  of  one  of  his  long  speeches, 
said  to  me,  '  You  see  how  much  there  is  to  be  said  on 
these  subjects  ;  several  visits  will  be  necessary;  wc 
must  come  to  the  point  by  degrees.'  Perceiving  how 
much  he  dreaded  a  close  discussion,  I  did  not  mean  to 
hurry  him,  but  let  him  talk  on,  not  expecting  we 
should  have  any  thing  about  Mohammedanism  the 
first  night.  But,  at  the  instigation  of  the  Jew,  I  said, 
{ Sir,  you  see  that  Abdoolghunee  is  anxious  that  you 
should  say  something  about  Islam.'    He  was  much 


HENRY   MARTYN.  337 

displeased  at  being  brought  so  prematurely  to  the 
weak  point,  but  could  not  decline  accepting  so  direct 
a  challenge.  'Well,'  said  he  to  me,  'I  must  ask  you  a 
few  questions.  Why  do  you  believe  in  Christ  V  I  re- 
plied, '  That  is  not  the  question.  I  am  at  liberty  to 
say  that  I  do  not  believe  in  any  religion ;  that  I  am  a 
plain  man,  seeking  the  way  of  salvation;  that  it  was, 
moreover,  quite  unnecessary  to  prove  the  truth  of 
Christ  to  Mohammedans,  because  they  allowed  it.' 
'No  such  thing,'  said  he.  '  The  Jesus  we  acknowledge 
is  he  who  was  a  prophet,  a  mere  servant  of  God,  and 
one  who  bore  testimony  to  Mohammed ;  not  your 
Jesus,  whom  you  call  God,'  said  he,  with  a  contemp- 
tuous smile.  He  then  enumerated  the  persons  who  had 
spoken  of  the  miracles  of  Mohammed,  and  told  a  long 
story  about  Salmon,  the  Persian,  who  had  come  to 
Mohammed.  I  asked  '  whether  this  Salmon  had  writ- 
ten an  account  of  the  miracles  he  had  seen  ?'  He  con- 
fessed that  he  had  not.  '  Nor,'  said  I,  '  have  you  a  sin- 
gle witness  to  the  miracles  of  Mohammed.'  He  then 
tried  to  show,  that  though  they  had  not,  there  was 
still  sufficient  evidence.  *  For,'  said  he,  '  suppose  five 
hundred  persons  should  say  that  they  heard  some 
particular  thing  of  a  hundred  persons  who  were  with 
Mohammed — would  that  be  sufficient  evidence  or  not?' 
'  Whether  it  be  or  not,'  said  I,  '  you  have  no  such  evi- 
dence as  that,  nor  any  thing  like  it ;  but  if  you  have, 
as  they  are  something  like  witnesses,  we  must  pro 
ceed  to  examine  them,  and  see  whether  their  testi- 
mony deserves  credit.' 

"  After  this,  the  Koran  was  mentioned ;  but  as  the 
company  began  to  thin,  and  the  great  man  had  not  a 
29 


838  MEMOIR   OF 

sufficient  audience  before  whom  to  display  his  elo- 
quence, the  dispute  was  not  so  brisk.  He  did  not,  in- 
deed, seeon  to  think  it  worth  while  to  notice  my  ob- 
jections. He  mentioned  a  well  known  sentence  in  the 
Koran,  as  being  inimitable.  I  produced  another  sen- 
tence, and  begged  to  know  why  it  was  inferior  to  the 
Koranic  one.  He  declined  saying  why,  under  pre- 
tence that  it  required  such  a  knowledge  of  rhetoric  in 
order  to  understand  his  proofs,  as  I  probably  did  not 
possess.  A  scholar  afterwards  came  to  Seid  Ali,  with 
twenty  reasons  for  preferring  Mohammed's  sentence 
to  mine. 

"It  was  midnight  when  dinner,  or  rather  supper, 
was  brought  in :  it  was  a  sullen  meal.  The  great  man 
was  silent ;  and  I  was  sleepy.  Seid  Ali,  however,  had 
not  had  enough.  While  burying  his  hand  in  the  dish 
of  the  Professor,  he  softly  mentioned  some  more  of 
my  objections.  He  was  so  vexed,  that  he  scarcely  an- 
swered any  thing ;  but,  after  supper,  told  a  very  long 
story,  all  reflecting  upon  me.  He  described  a  grand 
assembly  of  Christians,  Jews,  Guebres,  and  Sabians, 
(for  they  generally  do  us  the  honor  of  stringing  us 
with  the  other  three,)  before  Iman  Ruza.  The  Chris- 
tians were,  of  course,  defeated  and  silenced.  It  was  a 
remark  of  the  Iman's,  in  which  the  Professor  acqui- 
esced, 'That  it  is  quite  useless  for  Mohammedans  and 
Christians  to  argue  together,  as  they  had  different 
languages  and  different  histories.'  To  the  last  I  said 
nothing;  but  to  the  former  replied  by  relating  the 
fable  of  the  lion  and  man,  which  amused  Seid  Ali  so 
much,  that  he  laughed  out  before  the  great  man,  and 
all  the  way  home.'! 


HENRY    MARTYN.  Jd9 

So  universal  a  spirit  of  inquiry  had  been  excited  in 
the  city  of  Shiraz,  by  Mr.  Martyn's  frequent  disputa- 
tions, as  well  as  by  the  notoriety  of  his  being  engaged 
in  a  Translation  of  the  New  Testament  into  Persian, 
that  the  Preceptor*  of  all  the  Moollahs  began  greatly 
to  ;  fear  whereunto  this  would  grow.'  On  the  26th  of 
July,  therefore,  an  Arabic  defence  of  Mohammedanism 
made  its  appearance  from  his  pen.  A  considerable 
time  had  been  spent  in  its  preparation  ;  and  on  seeing 
the  light,  it  obtained  the  credit  of  surpassing  all  former 
treatises  upon  Islam. 

This  work,  as  far  as  a  judgment  of  it  can  be  formed 
from  a  translation  discovered  amongst  Mr.  Martyn's 
papers,  is  written  with  much  temper  and  moderation, 
and  with  as  much  candor  as  is  consistent  with  that 
degree  of  subtilty  which  is  indispensable  in  an  apology 
for  so  glaring  an  imposture  as  Mohammedanism. 

The  chief  Moollah  begins  by  declaring  his  desire  to 
avoid  all  altercation  and  wrangling ;  and  expresses 
his  hope  that  God  would  guide  into  the  right  way 
those  whom  he  chose.  He  then  endeavors,  in  the  body 
of  the  work,  to  show  the  superiority  of  the  single  per- 
petual miracle  of  the  Koran,  addressed  to  the  under- 
standing, above  the  variety  of  miracles  wrought  by 
Moses  and  by  Christ,  which  were  originally  addressed 
only  fo  the  senses ;  and  that  these,  from  lapse  of  time, 
become  every  day  less  and  less  powerful  in  their  in- 
fluence. And  he  concludes  with  the  following  address 
to  Mr.  Martyn : 

"  Thus  behold,  then,  O  thou  that  art  wise,  and  con- 
sider with  the  eye  of  justice,  since  thou  hast  no  excuse 
to  offer  to  God.    Thou  hast  wished  to  see  the  truth  of 


340  MEMOIR   OF 

miracles.    We  desire  you  to  look  at  the  great  Koran : 
that  is  an  everlasting  miracle. 

"  This  was  finished  by  Ibraheem  ben  al  Hosyn,  after 
the  evening  of  the  second  day  of  the  week,  the  23d  of 
the  month  Iemadi,  the  second  in  the  year  1223  of  the 
Hegira  of  the  Prophet.  On  him  who  fled  be  a  thousand 
salutations !" 

This  work  Mr.  Martyn  immediately  set  himself  to 
refute,  in  dependence  on  his  Savior  to  'give  him  wis- 
dom which  his  adversaries  should  not  be  able  to  gain- 
say.5 His  answer  was  divided  into  two  parts  ;  the  first 
was  principally  devoted  to  an  attack  on  Mohamme- 
danism ;  the  second  was  intended  to  display  the  evi- 
dences and  establish  the  authority  of  the  Christian 
faith.  It  was  written  in  Persian,  and  from  a  transla- 
tion of  the  first  part,  which  has  been  found,  we  perceive 
that  Mr.  Martyn,  '  having  such  hope,  used  great  plain- 
ness of  speech,'  whilst  at  the  same  time  he  treated  his 
opponent  with  meekness  and  courtesy. 

After  replying  to  the  various  arguments  of  Mirza 
Ibraheem,  Mr.  Martyn  shows  why  men  are  bound  to 
reject  Mohammedanism ;  that  Mohammed  was  fore- 
told by  no  prophet ;  that  he  worked  no  miracles  ;  that 
he  spread  his  religion  by  means  merely  human,  and 
framed  his  precepts  and  promises  to  gratify  men's  sen- 
suality, both  here  and  hereafter ;  that  he  was  most 
ambitious,  both  for  himself  and  his  family;  that  his 
Koran  is  full  of  gross  absurdities  and  palpable  contra- 
dictions ;  that  it  contains  a  method  of  salvation  wholly 
inefficacious,  which  Mr.  Martyn  contrasted  with  the 
glorious  and  efficacious  way  of  salvation  held  out  in 


HENRY    MABTYN,  341 

the  Gospel,  through  the  divine  atonement  of  Jesus 
Christ.  He  concludes  by  addressing  Mirza  Ibraheem 
in  these  words : 

"  I  beg  you  to  view  these  things  with  the  eye  of  im- 
partiality. If  the  evidence  be  indeed  convincing,  mind 
not  the  contempt  of  the  ignorant,  nor  even  death  itself; 
for  the  vain  world  is  passing  away  like  the  wind  of 
the  desert. 

"  If  you  do  not  see  the  evidence  to  be  sufficient,  my 
prayer  is  that  God  may  guide  you ;  so  that  you,  who 
have  been  a  guide  to  men  in  the  way  you  thought 
right,  may  now  both  see  the  truth,  and  call  men  to  God 
through  Jesus  Christ,  'who  hath  loved  us,  and  wash- 
ed us  from  our  sins  in  his  blood.'  His  glory  and  do- 
minion be  everlasting  PJ 

Reverting  to  the  Journal,  we  meet  with  the  follow- 
ing statements  illustrative  of  the  Persian  character, 
and  descriptive  of  the  genius  of  Soofeism.  From  these, 
also,  we  discover,  that  notwithstanding  individuals 
were  to  be  found  in  Shiraz  who  professed  Mohamme- 
danism without  having  imbibed  the  spirit  of  cruelty 
and  extermination  which  belongs  to  it,  Mr.  Marty n 
was  nevertheless  exposed  to  personal  danger  there, 
and  subject  to  much  contempt  and  many  insults. 

July  29. — "Mirza  Ibraheem  declared  publicly,  before 
all  his  disciples,  '  that  if  I  really  confuted  his  argu- 
ments he  should  be  bound  in  conscience  to  become  a 
Christian.'  Alas !  from  such  a  declaration  I  have  little 
hope.  His  general  good  character  for  uprightness  and 
unbounded  kindness  to  the  poor,  would  be  a  much 
stronger  reason  with  me  for  believing  that  he  may 
perhaps  be  a  Cornelius." 

29* 


342  MEMOIR    OF 

Aug.  2. — "  Much  against  his  will,  Mirza  Ibraheem 
was  obliged  to  go  to  his  brother,  who  is  governor  of 
some  town,  thirty-eight  parasangs  off.  To  the  last  mo- 
ment he  continued  talking  with  his  nephew  on  the 
subject  of  his  book,  and  begged  that,  in  case  of  his  de- 
tention, my  reply  might  be  sent  to  him." 

Aug.  7. — "  My  friends  talked  as  usual,  much  about 
what  the}'-  call  Divine  love ;  but  I  do  not  very  well 
comprehend  what  they  mean.  They  love  not  the  holy 
God,  but  the  God  of  their  own  imagination ;  a  God 
who  will  let  them  do  as  they  please. 

"  I  often  remind  Seid  Aii  of  one  defect  in  his  sys- 
tem, which  is,  that  there  is  no  one  to  stand  between  his 
sins  and  God.  Knowing  what  I  allude  to,  he  says, 
'  Well,  if  the  death  of  Christ  intervene,  no  harm ; 
Soofeism  can  admit  this  too.' " 

Aug.  14. — "Returned  to  the  city  in  a  fever,  which 
continued  all  the  next  day,  until  the  evening." 

Aug.  15. — "Jani  Khan,  in  rank  corresponding  to 
one  of  our  Scotch  dukes,  as  he  is  the  head  of  all  the 
military  tribes  of  Persia,  and  chief  of  his  own  tribe, 
which  consists  of  twenty  thousand  families,  called  on 
Jaffier  Ali  Khan,  with  a  message  from  the  king.  He 
asked  me  a  great  number  of  questions,  and  disputed  a 
little.  '  I  suppose,'  said  he,  '  you  consider  us  all  as  in- 
fidels V  '  Yes,'  replied  I,  '  the  whole  of  you.'  He  was 
mightily  pleased  with  my  frankness,  and  mentioned  it 
when  he  was  going  away." 

Aug.  22. — "The  copyist  having  shown  my  answer 
to  a  Moodurris,  called  Moollah  Acber,  he  wrote  on  the 
margin  with  great  acrimony,  but  little  sense.  Seid 
Ali  having  shown   his  remarks  in  some  companies, 


HENRY   MARTYN.  343 

they  begged  him  not  to  show  them  to  me,  for  fear  1 
should  disgrace  them  ail  through  the  folly  of  one  man." 

Aug.  23. — "  Ruza  Cooli  Mirza,  the  great  grandson 
of  Nadir  Shah,  and  Aga  Mohammed  Hasan,  called. 
The  prince's  nephew,  hearing  of  my  attack  on  Mo- 
hammed, observed  that  '  the  proper  answer  to  it  was 
the  sword ;'  but  the  prince  confessed  that  he  began  to 
have  his  doubts.  On  his  inquiring  what  were  the  laws 
of  Christianity — meaning  the  number  of  times  of 
prayer,  the  different  washings,  &c. — I  said  that  we 
had  two  commandments,  'Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord 
thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  all  thy  soul,  and  all 
thy  strength ;  and  thy  neighbor  as  thyself.'  He  asked, 
1  what  could  be  better  V  and  continued  praising  them. 

"The  Moollah  Aga  Mohammed  Hasan,  himself  a 
Moodurris,  and  a  very  sensible,  candid  man,  asked  a 
good  deal  about  the  European  philosophy;  particu- 
larly what  we  did  in  metaphysics: — for  instance, 
1  how,  or  in  what  sense  the  body  of  Christ  ascended 
into  heaven?'  He  talked  of  free-will  and  fate,  and 
reasoned  high,  and  at  last  reconciled  them  according 
to  the  doctrines  of  the  Soofies,  by  saying,  that  '  as  all 
being  is  an  emanation  of  the  Deity,  the  will  of  every 
being  is  only  the  will  of  the  Deity  ;  so  that,  therefore, 
in  fact,  free-will  and  fate  are  the  same.'  He  has  nothing 
to  find  fault  with  in  Christianity,  except  the  divinity 
of  Christ.  It  is  this  doctrine  that  exposes  me  to  the 
contempt  of  the  learned  Mohammedans,  in  whom  it  is 
difficult  to  say  whether  pride  or  ignorance  predomi- 
nates. Their  sneers  are  more  difficult  to  bear  than  the 
brickbats  which  the  boys  sometimes  throw  at  me: 
however,  both  are  an  honor  of  which  I  am  not  worthy. 


344  MEMOIR    OP 

How  many  times  in  the  day  have  I  occasion  to  repeat 
the  words,  , 

4  If  on  my  face,  for  thy  dear  name, 

4  Shame  and  reproaches  be ; 
'All  hail  reproach,  and  welcome  shame, 

'  If  thou  remember  me.' 

"  The  more  they  wish  me  to  give  up  this  one  point — 
the  Divinity  of  Christ — the  more  I  seem  to  feel  the  ne- 
cessity of  it,  and  rejoice  and  glory  in  it.  Indeed,  I 
trust  I  would  sooner  give  up  my  life  than  surrender  it." 

The  following  account  of  an  interview,  to  which  Mr. 
Martyn  was  admitted,  with  the  head  of  the  sect  of  the 
Soofies,  will  interest  those  whose  thoughts  are  turned 
towards  the  state  of  religion  in  the  East :  a  large  pro- 
portion of  the  people  of  Shiraz,  it  is  computed,  are 
either  the  secret  or  avowed  disciples  of  Mirza  Abulca- 
sim.  Whenever  'a  great  and  effectual  door'  is  opened 
for  Christianity,  '  there  are  many  adversaries.'  It  is 
otherwise  with  a  delusion  congenial  to  the  '  desires  of 
the  flesh  and  of  the  mind'  in  fallen  man.  Such  a  sys- 
tem the  god  of  this  world  is  concerned  to  uphold  ra- 
ther than  oppose. 

"  In  the  evening  we  went  to  pay  a  long-promised 
visit  to  Mirza  Abulcasim,  one  of  the  most  renowned 
Soofies  in  all  Persia.  We  found  several  persons  sitting 
in  an  open  court,  in  which  a  few  greens  and  flowers 
were  placed ;  the  master  was  in  a  corner.  He  was  a 
very  fresh-looking  old  man,  with  a  silver  beard.  I  was 
surprised  to  observe  the  downcast  and  sorrowful  looks 
of  the  assembly,  and  still  more  at  the  silence  which 


HENRY    MARTYN.  345 

reigned.  After  sitting  some  time  in  expectation,  and 
being  not  at  all  disposed  to  waste  my  time  in  sitting 
there,  I  said  softly  to  Seid  Ali,  '  What  is  this  V  He 
said,  ' It  is  the  custom  here  to  think  much  and  speak 
little.' — '  May  I  ask  the  master  a  question  V  said  I. 
With  some  hesitation  he  consented  to  let  me :  so  I 
begged  Jaffier  Ali  to  inquire,  '  Which  is  the  way  to  be 
happy  V 

"  This  he  did  in  his  own  manner:  he  began  by  ob- 
serving that  '  there  was  a  great  deal  of  misery  in  the 
world,  and  that  the  learned  shared  as  largely  in  it  as 
the  rest;  that  I  wished,  therefore,  to  know  what  we 
must  do  to  escape  it.'  The  master  replied,  that,  '  for  his 
part,  he  did  not  know,  but  that  it  was  usually  said  that 
the  subjugation  of  the  passions  was  the  shortest  way 
to  happiness.' 

"  After  a  considerable  pause,  I  ventured  to  ask  '  what 
were  his  feelings  in  the  prospect  of  death — hope  or 
fear,  or  neither  ?' — '  Neither,'  said  he,  and  that  '  plea- 
sure and  pain  were  both  alike.'  I  then  perceived  that 
the  stoics  were  Greek  Sooiies.  I  asked  '  whether  he 
had  attained  this  apathy?'  He  said,  'No.'  'Why  do 
you  think  it  attainable?'  He  could  not  tell.  'Why 
do  you  think  that  pleasure  and  pain  are  not  the  same  V 
said  Seid  Ali,  taking  his  master's  part.  '  Because,' 
said  I,  '  I  have  the  evidence  of  my  senses  for  it.  And 
you  also  act  as  if  there  was  a  difference.  W7hy  do  you 
eat,  but  that  you  fear  pain  ?'  These  silent  sages  sat 
unmoved. 

"  One  of  the  disciples  is  the  son  of  the  Moojtuhid, 
who,  greatly  to  the  vexation  of  his  father,  is  entirely 
devoted  to  the  Soofie  doctor.    He  attended  his  calcan 


346  MEMOIR    OF 

with  the  utmost  humility.  On  observing  the  pensive 
countenance  of  the  young  man,  and  knowing  some- 
thing of  his  history  from  Seid  Ali,  how  he  had  left  all 
to  find  happiness  in  the  contemplation  of  God,  I  longed 
to  make  known  the  glad  tidings  of  a  Savior,  and  thank- 
ed God,  on  coming  away,  that  I  was  not  left  ignorant 
of  the  Gospel.  I  could  not  help  being  a  little  pleasant 
on  Seid  Ali,  afterwards,  for  his  admiration  of  this  si- 
lent instructor.  '  There  you  sit,'  said  I,  '  immersed  in 
thought,  full  of  anxiety  and  care,  and  will  not  take  the 
trouble  to  ask  whether  God  has  said  any  thing  or  not. 
No :  that  is  too  easy  and  direct  a  way  of  coming  at  the 
truth.  I  compare  you  to  spiders,  who  weave  their 
house  of  defence  out  of  their  own  bowels ;  or  to  a  set 
of  people  who  are  groping  for  a  light  in  broad  day.'  " 

Mr.  Martyn's  mathematical  acquirements  were  to 
him  invaluable,  inasmuch  as  they  gave  him  that  habit 
of  patient  and  persevering  study,  which  was  sanctified 
in  the  application  of  his  powers  to  the  highest  ends 
and  purposes.  There  were  also  occasions  in  which 
this  and  other  sciences  were  of  service  to  the  cause  he 
had  at  heart,  by  procuring  for  him  that  attention  and 
respect  which  learning  ever  secures  in  countries  where 
the  light  of  civilization  shines,  even  though  but  faintly 
and  imperfectly.  Of  this  we  have  an  instance  in  the 
following  account. 

Aug.  26.— "Waited  this  morning  on  Mohammed 
Nubee  Khan,  late  ambassador  at  Calcutta,  and  now 
prime  minister  of  Fars.  There  were  a  vast  number  of 
clients  in  his  court,  with  whom  he  transacted  business 
while  chatting  with  us.    Amongst  the  others  who 


HENRY    MARTY  N.  347 

came  and  sat  with  us,  was  my  tetric  adversary,  Aga 
Acber,  who  came  for  the  very  purpose  of  presenting 
the  minister  with  a  little  book  he  had  written  in  an- 
swer to  mine.  After  presenting  it  in  due  form,  he  sat 
down,  and  told  me  he  meant  to  bring  me  a  copy  that 
day;  a  promise  which  he  did  not  perform,  through 
Seid  Ali's  persuasion,  who  told  him  it  was  a  perform- 
ance that  would  do  him  no  credit.  Aga  Acber  gave 
me  a  hint  respecting  its  contents,  namely,  that  there 
were  four  answers  to  my  objections  to  Mohammedans 
using  the  sword. 

"  He  then,  without  any  ceremony,  began  to  question 
me,  before  the  company,  (there  were  more  than  fifty 
in  the  hall,  and  crowds  in  front,  all  listening,)  about 
the  European  philosophy;  and  brought  objections 
against  the  world's  motion,  with  as  much  spleen  as  if 
he  had  an  estate  which  he  was  afraid  would  run  away 
from  him.  As  it  was  a  visit  of  mere  ceremony,  I  was 
not  a  little  surprised,  and  looked  at  the  minister,  to 
know  if  it  would  not  be  a  breach  of  good  manners  to 
dispute  at  such  a  time ;  but  it  seemed  there  was  nothing 
contrary  to  custom,  as  he  rather  expected  my  answer. 
I  explained  our  system  to  Aga  Acbar ;  but  there  were 
many  things  not  to  be  understood  without  diagrams ; 
so  a  scribe  in  waiting  was  ordered  to  produce  his  im- 
plements, and  I  was  obliged  to  show  him,  first,  the 
sections  of  the  cone,  and  how  a  body  revolves  in  an  el- 
lipse round  the  sun  in  one  focus,  &c.  He  knew  no- 
thing of  mathematics,  as  I  suspected,  so  it  was  soon 
found  useless  to  proceed ;  he  comprehended  nothing. 

"  On  my  return,  Jaffier  Ali  Khan  and  Mirza  Seid 
Ali  requested  me  to  explain  to  them  my  proofs.    I 


348  MEMOIR  OF 

did  my  best 5  but  there  were  so  many  things  they 
were  obliged  to  take  for  granted,  that  all  my  endea- 
vors were  to  little  purpose.  So  much  Mirza  Seid  All 
comprehended,  that  the  hypothesis  of  a  force  varying 
inversely  as  the  square  of  the  distance,  was  sufficient 
to  account  for  every  phenomenon ;  and  that  therefore, 
according  to  the  rules  of  philosophy,  a  more  complex 
hypothesis  was  not  to  be  admitted.  This  he  had  sense 
enough  to  see." 

There  is  something  so  estimable  in  the  character  of 
Mr.  Martyn's  opponent,  Mirza  Ibraheem,  that  it  will 
not  fail  to  secure  the  attention  of  the  reader,  in  perus- 
ing the  subjoined  relation  of  the  effect  produced  on  his 
mind  by  Mr.  Martyn's  defence  of  Christianity  and  at- 
tack upon  Mohammedanism. 

Aug.  29. — "  Mirza  Ibraheem  begins  to  inquire  about 
the  Gospel.  The  objections  he  made  were  such  as 
these :  How  sins  could  be  atoned  for  before  they  were 
committed  ?  Whether,  as  Jesus  died  for  all  men,  all 
would  necessarily  be  saved  ?  If  faith  be  the  condition 
of  salvation,  would  wicked  Christians  be  saved,  pro- 
vided they  believe  1  I  was  pleased  to  see,  from  the 
nature  of  the  objections,  that  he  was  considering  the 
subject.  To  this  last  objection  I  remarked  that  to 
those  who  felt  themselves  sinners,  and  came  to  God 
for  mercy,  through  Christ,  God  would  give  his  Holy 
Spirit,  which  would  progressively  sanctify  them  in 
heart  and  life." 

Aug.  30. — "  Mirza  Ibraheem  praises  my  answer,  es- 
pecially the  first  part." 

Mr.  Martyn's  mind,  we  have  had  frequent  occasion 


HENRY    MARTYiW  849 

to  notice,  closed  as  it  was  against  trifling  vanities,  was 
ever  open  and  alive  to  many  of  those  subjects  Which 
arrest  the  attention  and  interest  the  curiosity  of  men 
of  science  and  research,  and  which  form  one  great 
source  of  intellectual  gratification.  Whilst  the  moral 
depravity  of  Shiraz  chiefly  occupied  his  thoughts  and 
excited  his  commiseration,  he  could  also  find  a 
mournful  pleasure  in  musing  over  the  fallen  grandeur 
of  Persepolis. 

He  has  left  the  following  observations  and  reflec- 
tions, on  visiting  these  celebrated  remains  of  antiquity .' 

"  I  procured  two  horsemen,  as  guards,  from  the  mi- 
nister, and  set  off  about  two  hours  before  sunset.  At  a 
station  of  Rahdars  we  fed  the  horses,  and  then  conti- 
nued our  course,  through  a  most  dismal  country,  till 
midnight,  when  we  entered  a  vast  plain,  and,  two  or 
three  hours  before  day,  crossed  the  Araxes,  by  a 
bridge  of  three  arches,  and,  coming  in  sight  of  the 
ruins,  waited  for  the  day.  I  laid  down  upon  the  bare 
ground,  but  it  was  too  cold  to  sleep. 

"When  the  sun  rose,  we  entered.  My  guards  and 
servant  had  not  the  smallest  curiosity  to  see  ruins,  and 
therefore  the  moment  they  mounted  the  terrace  they 
laid  down  and  fell  asleep.  These  people  cannot  ima- 
gine why  the  Europeans  come  to  see  these  ruins. 
One  of  them  said  to  me,  {A  nice  place,  Sahib;  good 
air  and  a  fine  garden;  you  may  carry  brandy,  and 
drink  there  at  leisure.'  Thus  he  united,  as  he  thought, 
the  two  ingredients  of  human  happiness — the  Euro- 
pean enjoyment  of  drinking,  and  the  Persian  one  of 
straight  walks,  cypress  trees,  and  muddy  water  in  a 
square  cistern.  One  of  my  guards  was  continually  re- 
30 


350  MEMOIR   OP 

minding  me,  on  my  way  thither,  that  it  was  uninha- 
bited. Finding  me  still  persist,  he  imagined  that  my 
object  must  be  to  do  something  in  secret ;  and  accord- 
ingly, after  I  had  satisfied  my  curiosity,  and  was  com- 
ing away,  he  plainly  asked  me  whether  I  had  been 
drinking — observing,  perhaps,  my  eyes,  which  were 
red  with  cold  and  want  of  sleep.  When  I  gravely  told 
them  that  drunkenness  was  as  great  a  sin  with  us  as 
with  them,  they  altered  their  tone,  and  said  that  wine 
was  not  only  unlawful,  but  odious  and  filthy. 

"  After  traversing  these  celebrated  ruins,  I  must  say 
that  I  felt  a  little  disappointed ;  they  did  not  at  all 
answer  my  expectation.  The  architecture  of  the  an- 
cient Persians  seems  to  be  much  more  akin  to  that  of 
their  clumsy  neighbors  the  Indians,  than  to  that  of  the 
Greeks.  I  saw  no  appearance  of  grand  design  any 
where.  The  chapiters  of  the  columns  were  almost  as 
long  as  the  shafts — though  they  are  not  so  represent- 
ed in  Niebuhr's  plate  ; — and  the  mean  little  passages 
into  the  square  court,  or  room,  or  whatever  it  was, 
make  it  very  evident  that  the  taste  of  the  Orientals 
was  the  same  three  thousand  years  ago  as  it  is  now. 

"  But  it  was  impossible  not  to  recollect  that  here 
Alexander  and  his  Greeks  passed  and  repassed — here 
they  sat,  and  sung,  and  revelled  :  now  all  is  silence — 
generation  on  generation  lie  mingled  with  the  dust  of 
their  moldering  edifices : 

'  Alike  the  busy  and  the  gay, 
'  But  flutter  in  life's  busy  day, 
•  In  fortune's  varying  colors  drest.' 

"  From  the  ruins  I  rode  off  to  a  neighboring  village, 
the  head-man  of  which,  at  the  minister's  order,  paid 


HENRY    MARTYN.  351 

me  every  attention.  At  sunset  we  set  out  on  our  re- 
turn, and  lost  Our  way.  As  I  particularly  remarked 
where  we  entered  the  plains,  I  pointed  out  the  track 
which  afterwards  proved  to  be  right ;  but  my  opinion 
was  overruled,  and  we  galloped  further  and  further 
away.  Meeting,  at  last,  with  some  villagers,  who  were 
passing  the  night  at  their  threshing-floor  in  the  field, 
we  were  set  right.  They  then  conceived  so  high  an 
idea  of  my  geographical  skill,  that,  as  soon  as  we  re- 
crossed  the  Araxes,  they  begged  me  to  point  out  the 
Keblah  to  them,  as  they  wanted  to  pray.  After  set- 
ting their  faces  towards  Mecca,  as  nearly  as  I  could,  I 
went  and  sat  down  on  the  margin  near  the  bridge, 
where  the  water,  falling  over  some  fragments  of  the 
bridge  under  the  arches,  produced  a  roar,  which,  con- 
trasted with  the  stillness  all  around,  had  a  grand  effect. 
Here  I  thought  again  of  the  multitudes  who  had  once 
pursued  their  labors  and  pleasures  on  its  banks.  Twen- 
ty-one centuries  have  passed  away  since  they  lived: 
how  short,  in  comparison,  must  be  the  remainder  of 
my  days  !  What  a  momentary  duration  is  the  life  of 
man!  Labitur  et  labetur  in  omne  volubilis  (Evum,* 
may  be  affirmed  of  the  river;  but  men  pass  away  as 
soon  as  they  begin  to  exist.  Well,  let  the  moments 
pass — 

'  They'll  waft  us  sooner  o'er 

1  This  life's  tempestuous  sea, 
•  And  land  us  on  the  peaceful  shore 

'  Of  blest  Eternity.' 

"  The  Mohammedans  having  finished  their  prayers, 
I  mounted  my  horse  and  pursued  my  way  over  the 
*It  flows,  and  will  continue  to  flow  for  ever. 


352  MEMOIR    OF 

plain.  We  arrived  at  the  station  of  the  Rahdars  so 
early,  that  we  should  have  been  at  Shiraz  before  the 
gates  were  opened,  so  we  halted.  I  put  my  head  into 
a  poor  corner  of  the  caravansera,  and  slept  soundly 
upon  the  hard  stone,  till  the  rising  sun  bid  us  continue 
our  course. 

"  One  of  my  guards  was  a  pensive,  romantic  sort  of 
a  man,  as  far  as  eastern  men  can  be  romantic  ;  that  is, 
he  is  constantly  reciting  love-verses.  He  often  broke 
a  long  silence  by  a  sudden  question  of  this  sort :  '  Sir. 
what  is  the  chief  good  of  life  V  I  replied,  '  The  love 
of  God.'  '  What  next  ?'  '  The  love  of  man.'  •  That  is,' 
said  he,  '  to  have  men  love  us,  or  to  love  them  ?'  '  To 
love  them.'  He  did  not  seem  to  agree  with  me.  Anoth- 
er time  he  asked,  'Who  were  the  worst  people  in 
the  world  V  I  said,  '  Those  who  know  their  duty, 
and  do  not  practice  it.'  At  the  house  where  I  was  en- 
tertained, they  asked  me  the  question  which  the  Lord 
once  asked,  '  What  think  ye  of  Christ  V  I  generally 
tell  them  at  first,  what  they  expect  to  hear,  '  The  Son 
of  God  f  but  this  time  I  said,  'The  same  as  you  say, 
the  Word  of  God.'  '  Was  he  a  prophet  ?'  '  Yes,  in 
some  sense,  he  was  a  prophet ;  but,  what  it  chiefly 
concerns  us  to  know,  he  was  an  atonement  for  the  sins 
of  men.'  Not  understanding  this,  they  made  no  reply. 
They  next  asked,  '  What  did  I  think  of  the  soul  ?  was 
it  out  of  the  body,  or  in  the  body  V  I  supposed  the 
latter.  '  No,'  they  said,  '  it  is  neither  the  one  nor  the 
other ;  but  next  to  it,  and  the  mover  of  the  body.'  " 

The  details  Mr.  Martyn  gives  of  the  fast  of  Rama- 
zan,  which  he  witnessed  on  his  return  to  Shiraz,  whilst 


HENRY    MARTYN.  353 

they  show  that  he  was  far  from  being  an  inobservant 
spectator  of  what  -was  passing  around  him,  afford  a 
striking  view  of  the  interior  of  Mohammedanism.  We 
plainly  discover  from  them,  that  a  love  for  particular 
popular  preachers,  a  fiery  zeal  in  religion,  a  vehement 
excitation  of  animal  feelings,  as  well  as  rigid  austeri- 
ties, are  false  criterions  of  genuine  piety ;  for  we  see 
all  these  in  their  full  perfection  amongst  the  real  fol- 
lowers of  the  Crescent,  as  well  as  amongst  the  pre- 
tended disciples  of  the  Cross. 

Sept.  20.—"  First  day  of  the  fast  of  Ramazan.  All 
the  family  have  been  up  in  the  night,  to  take  an  un- 
seasonable meal,  in  order  to  fortify  themselves  for  the 
abstinence  of  the  day.  It  was  curious  to  observe  the 
effects  of  the  fast  in  the  house.  The  master  was  scold- 
ing and  beating  his  servants ;  they  equally  peevish 
and  insolent ;  and  the  beggars  more  than  ordinarily 
importunate  and  clamorous.  At  noon,  all  the  city 
went  to  the  grand  mosque.  My  host  came  back  with 
an  account  of  new  vexations  there.  He  was  chatting 
with  a  friend,  near  the  door,  when  a  great  preacher, 
Hagi  Mirza,  arrived,  with  hundreds  of  followers. 
1  Why  do  you  not  say  your  prayers  ?'  said  the  new 
comers  to  the  two  friends.  '  We  have  finished,'  said 
they.  '  Well,'  said  the  other,  '  if  you  cannot  pray  a 
second  time  with  us,  you  had  better  move  out  of  the 
way.'  Rather  than  join  such  turbulent  zealots,  they 
retired.  The  reason  of  this  unceremonious  address 
was,  that  these  loving  disciples  had  a  desire  to  pray  all 
in  a  row  with  their  master,  which;  it  seems,  is  the  cus- 
tom. There  is  no  public  service  in  the  mosque;  every 
man  there  prays  for  himself. 
30* 


354  MEMOIR    OF 

"Coming  out  of  the  mosque,  some  servants  of  the 
Prince,  for  their  amusement,  pushed  a  person  against 
a  poor  man's  stall,  on  which  were  some  things  for 
sale,  a  few  European  and  Indian  articles,  also  some 
valuable  Warsaw  plates,  which  were  thrown  down 
and  broken.  The  servants  went  off  without  making 
compensation.  No  Cazi  will  hear  a  complaint  against 
the  Prince's  servants. 

"  Hagi  Mohammed  Hasan  preaches  every  day  dur- 
ing the  Ramazan.  He  takes  a  verse  from  the  Koran, 
or  more  frequently  tells  stories  about  the  Imans.  If 
the  ritual  of  the  Christian  churches,  their  good  forms, 
and  every  thing  they  have,  is  a  mere  shadow,  without 
the  power  of  truth  ;  what  must  all  this  Mohammedan 
stuff  be?  and  yet  how  impossible  is  it  to  convince  the 
people  of  the  world,  whether  Christian  or  Mohamme- 
dan, that  what  they  call  religion,  is  merely  a  thing  of 
their  own,  having  no  connexion  with  God  and  his 
kingdom.  This  subject  has  been  much  on  my  mind  of 
late.  How  senseless  the  zeal  of  churchmen  against 
dissenters,  and  of  dissenters  against  the  church  !  The 
kingdom  of  God  is  neither  meat  nor  drink,  nor  any 
thing  perishable;  but  righteousness  and  peace,  and 
joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost. 

"Mizra  Ibraheem  never  goes  to  the  mosque;  but  he 
is  so  much  respected,  that  nothing  is  said  :  they  con- 
clude that  he  is  employed  in  devotion  at  home.  Some 
of  his  disciples  said  to  Seid  Ali,  before  him,  '  Now  the 
Ramazan  is  come,  you  should  read  the  Koran  and 
leave  the  Gospel.'  'No,'  said  his  uncle, 'he  is  em- 
ployed in  a  good  work ;  let  him  go  on  with  it.'  The 
old  man  continues  to  inquire  with  interest  about  the 


HENRY    MARTYN.  355 

Gospel,  and  is  impatient  for  his  nephew  to  explain 
the  evidences  of  Christianity,  which  I  have  drawn 
up." 

Sept.  22. — Sunday. — "My  friends  returned  from 
the  mosque  full  of  indignation  at  what  they  had  wit- 
nessed there.  The  former  governor  of  Bushire  com- 
plained to  the  vizier,  in  the  mosque,  that  some  of  his 
servants  had  treated  him  brutally.  The  vizier,  instead 
of  attending  to  his  complaint,  ordered  them  to  do  their 
work  a  second  time;  which  they  did,  kicking  and 
beating  him  with  their  slippers,  in  the  most  ignomi- 
nious way,  before  all  the  mosque.  This  unhappy  peo- 
ple groan  under  the  tyranny  of  their  governors;  yet 
nothing  subdues  or  tames  them.  Happy  Europe ! 
how  has  God  favored  the  sons  of  Japheth,  by  causing 
them  to  embrace  the  Gospel !  How  dignified  are  all 
the  nations  of  Europe  compared  with  this  nation !  Yet 
the  people  are  clever  and  intelligent,  and  more  calcu- 
lated to  become  great  and  powerful  than  any  of  the 
nations  of  the  East,  had  they  a  good  government  and 
the  Christian  religion." 

Sept.  29. — "The  Soofie,  son  of  the  Moojtuhid,  with 
some  others,  came  to  see  me.  For  fifteen  years  he  was 
a  devout  Mohammedan,  visited  the  sacred  places,  and 
said  many  prayers.  Finding  no  benefit  from  austeri- 
ties, he  threw  up  the  Mohammedanism  altogether,  and 
attached  himself  to  the  Soofie  master. 

"I  asked  him  what  his  object  was  all  that  time? 
He  said  '  he  did  not  know,  but  he  was  unhappy.'  I  be- 
gan to  explain  to  him  the  Gospel ;  but  he  cavilled  at 
it  as  much  as  any  bigoted  Mohammedan  could  do,  and 
would  not  hear  of  there  being  any  distinction  between 


356  MEMOIR   OF 

Creator  and  creature.  In  the  midst  of  our  conversa- 
tion the  sun  went  down,  and  the  company  vanished, 
for  the  purpose  of  taking  an  immediate  repast. 

"  Aga  Baba  was  also  for  many  years  a  zealous  Mo- 
hammedan, often  passing  whole  nights  in  prayer. 
His  father,  who  had  at  first  encouraged  his  religious 
propensities,  found  them  at  last  so  troublesome,  that  he 
was  obliged  to  leave  the  house,  not  being  able  to  get 
sleep  for  the  noise  his  son  made  in  prayer.  Finding, 
after  many  years,  that  he  was  growing  more  and  more 
proud  and  contemptuous,  he  could  ascribe  it  to  no- 
thing but  his  prayers,  and  therefore,  from  purely  con- 
scientious motives,  left  them  oft'. 

"  Janier  Ali  Khan  was  also  once  a  great  sayer  of 
prayers,  and  regularly  passed  every  afternoon,  for  four- 
teen years,  in  cursing  the  worshippers  of  Omar,  accord- 
ing to  the  prescribed  form  ;  but  perceiving  that  these 
zealous  maledictions  brought  no  blessing  to  himself,  he 
left  them  off,  and  now  just  prays  for  form's  sake.  His 
wife  says  her  prayers  regularly  five  times  a  day,  and 
is  always  up  before  sunrise  for  the  first  prayer. 

"  Mirza  Seid  Ali  seems  sometimes  coming  round  to 
Christianity  against  Soofeism.  The  Soofies  believe  in 
no  prophet,  and  do  not  consider  Moses  to  be  equal  to 
Mirza  Abulcasim.  '  Could  they  be  brought,'  Seid  Ali 
says,  '  to  believe  that  there  has  been  a  prophet,  they 
would  embrace  Christianity.'  And  what  would  be  gain- 
ed by  such  converts  ?  '  Thy  people  shall  be  willing  in 
the  day  of  thy  power.'  It  will  be  '  an  afflicted  and  poor 
people'  that  shall  call  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord,  and 
such  the  Soofies  are  not :  professing  themselves  to  be 
wise,  they  have  become  fools." 


HENRY    MARTYN.  357 

Oct.  1. — "  Thousands  every  day  assemble  at  the 
mosque ;  it  is  quite  a  lounge  with  them.  Each,  as  soon 
as  he  has  said  his  prayers,  sits  down  and  talks  to  his 
friend.  The  multitude  press  to  hear  Hagi  Mohammed 
Hasan.  One  day  they  thronged  him  so  much  that  he 
made  some  error  in  his  prostrations.  This  put  him  into 
such  a  passion,  that  he  wished  that  Omar's  curse  might 
come  upon  him  if  he  preached  to  them  again.  How- 
ever, a  day  or  two  after,  he  thought  better  of  it.  This 
preacher  is  famous  for  letting  out  his  money  for  inte- 
rest ;  and  therefore,  in  spite  of  his  eloquence,  he  is  not 
very  popular.  About  two  years  ago,  Shekh  Jaffier  came 
here  and  preached — '  The  Persians  are  all  murderers ! 
adulterers !' — '  What  does  the  Shekh  mean  V  said  his 
followers.  '  Why,'  said  he,  ;  the  Persians  take  usury ; 
and  he  that  does  that,  is  worse  than  a  murderer  or 
adulterer.' " 

Oct.  7. — "  I  was  surprised  by  a  visit  from  the  great 
Soofie  doctor,  who,  while  most  of  the  people  were 
asleep,  came  to  me  for  some  wine.  I  plied  him  with 
questions  innumerable ;  but  he  returned  nothing  but 
incoherent  answers,  and  sometimes  no  answer  at  all. 
Having  laid  aside  his  turban,  he  put  on  his  night-cap, 
and  soon  fell  asleep  upon  the  carpet.  Whilst  he  lay 
there  his  disciples  came,  but  would  not  believe,  when 
I  told  them  who  was  there,  till  they  came  and  saw  the 
sage  asleep.  When  he  awoke,  they  came  in,  and  seat- 
ed themselves  at  the  greatest  possible  distance,  and 
were  all  as  still  as  if  in  a  church. 

"  The  real  state  of  this  man  seems  to  be  despair,  and 
it  is  well  if  it  do  not  end  in  madness.  I  preached  to 
him  the  kingdom  of  God :  mentioning  particularl} 


358  MEMOIR    OF 

how  I  had  found  peace  from  the  Son  of  God  and  the 
Spirit  of  God  :  through  the  first,  forgiveness;  through 
the  second,  sanctification.  He  said  it  was  good,  but 
said  it  with  the  same  unconcern  with  which  he  admits 
all  manner  of  things,  however  contradictory.  Poor 
soul !  he  is  sadly  bewildered. 

"  At  a  garden,  called  Shah  Chiragh,  in  which  is  the 
tomb  of  the  brother  of  one  of  the  Imans,  who  was  kill- 
ed on  the  spot,  a  miracle  is  wrought  every  Ramazan. 
The  Mootuwulli,  or  proprietor  of  the  garden,  in  whose 
family  it  has  been  for  ages,  finds  its  supposed  sanctity 
abundantly  profitable,  as  he  is  said  to  make  two  thou- 
sand pounds  a-year  of  it.  To  keep  alive  the  zeal  of  the 
people,  who  make  their  offerings  there  every  day,  he 
procures  a  villager,  who  is  at  first  sick,  and  crying  to 
Ali  for  help  ;  and  then,  on  the  appointed  day,  recovers. 
This  year  a  man  was  recovered  of  the  palsy,  and  our 
servants  came  in  quite  full  of  it.  Though  this  farce  is 
played  off  every  year,  the  simpletons  are  never  unde- 
ceived. Presents  of  sheep,  fowls,  sweetmeats,  money, 
flowed  in  upon  the  Mootuwulli,  who  skillfully  turned 
all  to  the  best  advantage.  Those  who  wished  to  see  the 
man's  face,  were  to  pay  so  much ;  those  who  were 
anxious  to  touch  him,  were  to  pay  so  much  more ; 
and  so  on. 

"  On  two  days  in  the  Ramazan,  tragedies  were  acted 
at  our  house,  in  the  women's  court.  Two  or  three  men, 
dressed  in  the  Khan's  court  robes,  spouted  and  sung 
for  an  hour,  before  an  immense  concourse  of  women, 
all  veiled.  The  subject,  on  the  first  day,  was  the  death 
of  Mohammed ;  on  the  second,  that  of  Iman  Hosyn." 

Oct.  18. — "  The  Ramazan  ended,  or  ought  to  have 


HENRY    MARTYJ*.  359 

ended,  but  the  moon  disappointed  them.  The  Moollahs 
not  having  seen  the  new  moon,  would  not  allow  the 
fast  to  be  over,  and  the  people  were,  in  consequence, 
all  in  confusion ;  for  not  having  eaten  in  the  night, 
they  were  not  at  all  disposed  to  go  through  the  day 
fasting.  At  last  some  witnesses  appeared,  who  vowed 
that  they  had  seen  the  silver  bow.  These  were  from 
the  Prince ;  but  the  Moollahs  refused  to  admit  them 
till  seventy-two  of  the  same  kind  bore  the  same  testi- 
mony. This  was  no  great  number  for  a  prince  to  pro- 
duce 5  so  the  seventy-two  appeared,  and  the  feast  was 
proclaimed." 

Towards  the  end  of  November,  great  progress  hav- 
ing been  made  in  the  Persian  translation  of  the  New 
Testament,  Mr.  Martyn  ordered  two  splendid  copies 
of  it  to  be  prepared,  designing  to  present  the  one  to 
the  King  of  Persia,  and  the  other  to  the  Prince  Abbas 
Mirza,  his  son.  It  being  now  also  his  fixed  intention 
to  pass  the  winter  at  Shiraz,  he  resolved  to  commence 
another  eminently  useful,  and,  to  him,  most  delightful 
work — a  version  of  the  Psalms  of  David  into  Persian, 
from  the  original  Hebrew.  The  divine  Songs  of  Zion 
became  thus  the  subject  of  his  critical  examination, 
close  meditation,  and  frequent  prayer  ;  and  whilst  en- 
gaged in  this  sacred  employment,  often  did  he  find 
his  soul  elevated  and  his  spirit  refreshed  in  a  "  strange 
land." 

The  events  of  the  last  month  of  the  year  stand  thus 
recorded  in  his  Journal : 

Dec.  3.—"  Attended  the  lecture  of  Aga  Mohammed 
Hasan.    He  read  and  commented  on  three  books  of 


360  MEMOIR   OF 

metaphysics,  and  at  intervals  conversed  with  ffie. 
Among  other  things,  we  discussed  the  cause  of  the  as- 
cent of  a  light  body  in  a  fluid.  Our  argument  came  at 
last  to  this— that  if  one  particle  of  fluid  were  on  ano- 
ther,  it  would,  from  its  gravity,  move  ever  horizontally 
off,  in  order  to  be  nearer  the  centre.  •  If,'  said  he, '  a 
body  ean  move  toward  the  centre  only  directly,  how 
do  you  account  for  its  falling  down  an  inclined  plane?' 
I  began  to  explain  the  composition  and  resolution  of 
forces  ;  but  some  disciples  coming,  he  could  not  stay 
to  hear  what  I  had  to  say,  but  went  on  with  his  lec- 
ture. At  one  time  he  asked  me  some  questions  about 
genera  and  species." 

Dec.  6.—"  Aga  Boozorg  and  his  disciple,  Aga  Ali,  a 
Mede,  came  and  sat  many  hours.  The  former,  from 
love  to  the  Gospel,  as  he  said,  had  desired  a  friend  at 
Isfahan  to  send  him  Luke's  Gospel,  translated  from 
the  Arabic.  He  asked  me  about  the  Trinity,  and  said 
that,  '  for  himself,  he  had  no  objection  to  the  doctrine.' 
So  say  all  the  Soofies.  but  they  will  only  concede  to 
Jesus  a  nature  which  they  conceive  to  belong  to  all 
the  prophets,  and  all  the  illuminated.  He  stated  his 
sentiments;  I  asked  for  reasons,  but  asked  in  vain* 
1  Proofs,'  he  said,  '  were  cobwebs — a  breath  destroyed 
them :  nothing  but  a  divine  teacher  could  make  known 
the  mystery/  Aga  Ali,  in  order  to  prove  to  me  that 
proofs  were  nothing,  adduced  the  instance  of  Matthew 
the  publican,  who  rose  at  the  call  of  Christ,  without 
seeing  a  miracle.  They  are  fond  of  producing  what 
they  know  of  the  Gospel,  in  confirmation  of  their  mys- 
tic themes.  The  atonement  they  would  not  hear  of, 
because  the  Mohammedans  pretended,  in  the  same 


HEN'RY   MAHTYX.  381 

way,  that  Hosyn  was  sacrificed  for  the  sins  of  men. 
Thus  Satan  has  contrived  Mohammedanism  with  more 
craft  than  at  first  appears;  for  the  impostor  of  Mecca, 
by  making  common  cause  with  the  prophets  of  God, 
has  taken  care,  that  if  any  forsake  him,  they  shall  at 
the  same  time  forsake  the  messengers  of  God  ;  of  whom 
they  know  nothing  but  just  what  he  tells  them — which 
is  far  enough  from  the  truth.0 

Dec.  8. — "  The  Soofies  breakfasted  with  me.  Aga 
Boozorg  talked  dogmatically  about  the  unity  of  all 
being,  and  quoted  large  portions  from  the  Munan  of 
Mouluwee  Room.  Another  part  of  the  conversation 
was  about  India.  The  Soofies  consider  all  the  Brah- 
mins as  philosophers  of  the  same  school  with  them- 
selves. One  of  them  asked  me  gravely,  '  whether  I  had 
met  with  any  in  whom  was  the  Holy  Ghost?'  This, 
he  supposed,  was  the  only  way  of  expressing  what 
they  meant  by  being  enlightened." 

Dec.  12. — "  Letters,  at  last,  from  India.  Mirza  Seid 
Ali  was  curious  to  know  in  what  way  we  correspond- 
ed, and  made  me  read  Mr.  Brown's  letter  to  me,  and 
mine  to  Corrie.  He  took  care  to  let  his  friends  know 
that  we  wrote  nothing  about  our  own  affairs :  it  was 
all  about  translations,  and  the  cause  of  Christ:  with 
this  he  was  delighted." 

Dec.  16.— "In  translating  2  Cor.  1 :  22,  '  Who  hath 
given  the  earnest  of  the  Spirit  in  our  hearts,'  he  was 
much  struck  when  it  was  explained  to  him.  '  O  that  I 
had  it,'  said  he ;  '  have  you  received  it  V  I  told  him  that 
as  I  had  no  doubt  of  my  acceptance  through  Christ,  I 
concluded  that  I  had*  Once  before,  on  the  words, 
4  Who  are  saved,' he  expressed  his  surprise  at  the  con» 
31 


362  memoir  or 

fidence  with  which  Christians  spoke  of  salvation.  On 
1  Cor.  11,  he  observed  that  the  doctrine  of  the  resur- 
rection of  the  body  was  unreasonable ;  but  that  as  the 
Mohammedans  understood  it,  it  was  impossible  ;  on 
which  account  the  Soofies  rejected  it." 

Christmas-day. — "  I  made  a  great  feast  for  the  Rus- 
sians and  Armenians  5  and,  at  Jaffier  Ali  Khan's  re- 
quest, invited  the  Soofie  master,  with  his  disciples.  I 
hoped  there  would  be  some  conversation  on  the  occa- 
sion of  our  meeting,  and  indeed  Mirza  Seid  Ali  did 
make  some  attempts,  and  explained  to  the  old  man  the 
meaning  of  the  Lord's  supper ;  but  the  sage  maintain- 
ing his  usual  silence,  the  subject  was  dropped. 

ci  I  expressed  my  satisfaction  at  seeing  them  assem- 
bled on  such  an  occasion,  and  my  hope  that  they 
would  remember  the  day  in  succeeding  years ;  and 
that,  though  they  would  never  see  me  again  in  the 
succeeding  years,  they  would  not  forget  that  I  had 
brought  them  the  Gospel.  The  old  man  coldly  replied 
that  '  God  would  guide  those  whom  he  chose.'  Most  of 
the  time  they  continued  was  before  dinner ;  the  mo- 
ment that  was  despatched,  they  rose  up  and  went 
away.  The  custom  is,  to  sit  five  or  six  hours  before 
dinner  ;  and  at  great  men's  houses  singers  attend." 

Dec.  27. — "  Carapet  invited  me  this  evening  to  his 
wedding;  but,  just  before  the  guests  were  to  have  as- 
sembled, the  Darogha's  servants  seized  his  father-in- 
law  and  carried  him  away  to  be  bastinadoed,  or  else 
to  pay  five  hundred  piasters.  It  seems  he  had  given  a 
bond  to  that  amount,  never  to  sell  wine  to  Mohamme- 
dans; and  yesterday  he  was  detected  in  the  act.  Jaf- 
fier Ali  Khan  wrote,  in  my  name,  to  the  Vizier,  to  re- 


HENRY    MARTYX.  363 

quest  his  release.  The  Vizier  replied  that  Carapet,  for 
my  sake,  should  not  be  molested ;  but  that  the  other 
man  had  forfeited  his  money,  and,  in  evidence,  sent 
his  bond.  Finding  that  it  was  not  a  piece  of  villany  on 
the  part  of  the  government,  as  I  had  apprehended,  I 
declined  having  any  thing  to  do  in  the  business;  the 
law  might  take  its  course.  But  Jaffier  Ali  Khan  beg- 
ged as  a  favor,  of  the  servant  of  the  Vizier,  who  had 
formerly  been  a  servant  of  his,  to  represent  the  mat- 
ter in  such  a  light  to  his  master  as  to  excite  his  com- 
passion. After  he  was  gone  away,  the  Armenians  came 
in  great  numbers,  and  begged  I  would  procure  the 
pardon  of  the  poor  man  ;  and  had  obtained  a  promise 
from  me  to  this  effect ;  when  the  servant  came  back 
with  the  poor  Greek,  and  said  that  the  Vizier  had  re- 
leased him,  and  forgiven  him  the  forfeit,  for  my  sake. 
The  Armenians  were  in  ecstacies  of  joy,  and  did  not 
know  how  enough  to  express  their  gratitude  to  me, 
though  it  was  rather  due  to  Jaffier  Ali  Khan.  I  was 
unable  to  attend  the  wedding,  from  a  cough,  which 
made  it  unsafe  to  be  out  at  night.  They  sat  up  all 
night,  according  to  the  Armenian  custom,  eating  and 
drinking;  and  about  two  hours  before  day,  went  to 
church,  where  the  marriage  was  solemnized.  The 
feasting  continues  two  days  longer. 

"  On  the  strength  of  the  narrow  escape  the  Greek 
had  experienced,  some  of  the  Vizier's  servants  came, 
the  day  after,  to  feast  themselves  at  his  expense.  They 
first  called  for  a  calean,  which  was  brought  them  ;  then 
for  the  wine  he  had  promised  them,  though  he  had 
promised  none.  This  unfortunate  people  have  been 
visited  almost  like  the  Jews.  When  will  the  Lord  pity 


364  memoir  or 

them  ?  An  Armenian,  if  he  gets  a  new  coat,  makes 
the  sleeves  of  patches,  as  lie  will  be  sure  to  have  it 
taken  from  him  if  it  looks  new.  Carapet  was  insulted 
for  being  a  little  better  dressed  than  they  thought  a 
Christian  ought  to  be." 

Dec.  31. — "The  accounts  of  the  desolations  of  war 
during  the  last  year,  which  I  have  been  reading  in 
some  Indian  newspapers,  make  the  world  appear  more 
gloomy  than  ever.  How  many  souls  hurried  into 
eternity  unprepared  I  How  many  thousands  of  widows 
and  orphans  left  to  mourn  1  But  admire,  my  soul,  the 
matchless  power  of  God,  that  out  of  this  ruin  he  has 
prepared  for  himself  an  inheritance.  At  last  the  scene 
shall  change,  and  I  shall  find  myself  in  a  world  where 
all  is  love." 

The  early  part  of  the  year  1812,  that  year  in  which 
Mr.  Marty n  "rested  from  his  labors,"  and  "found 
himself  in  a  world  where  all  was  love,"  was  ushered 
in  by  him  in  the  following  strain  of  singular  pathos 
and  piety : 

"The  last  has  been,  in  some  respects,  a  memorable 
year.  I  have  been  led,  by  what  I  have  reason  to  con- 
sider as  the  particular  providence  of  God,  to  this  place, 
and  have  undertaken  an  important  work,  which  has 
gone  on  without  material  interruption,  and  is  now 
nearly  finished.  I  like  to  find  myself  employed  use- 
fully, in  a  way  I  did  not  expect  or  foresee,  especially 
if  my  own  will  is  in  any  degree  crossed  by  the  work 
unexpectedly  assigned  me ;  as  there  is  then  reason  to 
believe  that  God  is  acting.  The  present  year  will  pro- 
bably  be  a  perilous  one ;  but  my  life  is  of  little  conse- 


HENRY   MARTYN.  365 

quence,  whether  I  live  to  finish  the  Persian  New- 
Testament,  or  do  not.  I  look  back  with  pity  and  shame 
upon  my  former  self,  and  on  the  importance  I  then 
attached  to  my  life  and  labors.  The  more  I  see  of  my 
own  works,  the  more  I  am  ashamed  of  them.  Coarse- 
ness and  clumsiness  mar  all  the  works  of  man.  I  am 
sick,  when  I  look  at  man,  and  his  wisdom,  and  his 
doings;  and  am  relieved  only  by  reflecting  that  we 
have  a  city  whose  builder  and  maker  is  God.  The 
least  of  His  works  it  is  refreshing  to  look  at.  A  dried 
leaf,  or  a  straw,  makes  me  feel  myself  in  good  compa- 
ny :  complacency  and  admiration  take  place  of  disgust. 
"I  compared,  with  pain,  our  Persian  translation 
with  the  original ;  to  say  nothing  of  the  precision  and 
elegance  of  the  sacred  text,  its  perspicuity  is  that 
which  sets  at  defiance  all  attempts  to  equal  it." 

In  the  succeeding  portion  of  Mr.  Martyn's  Journal; 
we  are  presented  with  a  statement,  from  which  it  is 
scarcely  possible  not  to  infer  that  the  civil  government 
of  Persia  is  in  a  condition  of  extreme  weakness  and 
wretchedness. 

Jan.  15.—"  I  went  with  Jaffier  Ali  Khan  to  see  the 
College.  It  is  almost  in  ruins,  not  having  been  repair- 
ed these  two  hundred  years.  It  contains  sixty  or 
seventy  sets  of  rooms,  in  many  of  which  we  observed 
teachers  and  scholars  giving  and  hearing  lectures.  It 
was  formerly  richly  endowed  ;  but  the  rapacity  of  the 
kings  has  stripped  it  of  every  thing;  only  a  small  sti- 
pend is  now  allowed  to  the  principal  teachers.  Near  it 
is  an  octagonal  caravansera,  where  goods  were  for- 
merly exposed  to  sale,  and  a  tax  levied,  which  was  ap- 
31* 


366  MEMOIR   OF 

propriated  to  the  College;  but  this  is  nearly  gone. 
The  best  way  of  laying  out  money  at  this  time  is  to 
build  a  caravansera,  for  merchants  to  lodge  their 
goods  in,  and  expose  them  to  sale.  In  this  way  they 
make  about  fifteen  per  cent,  j  but  these  warehouses  are 
heavily  taxed  by  government. 

"  We  called  on  several  people  j  among  the  rest,  on 
Mirza  Abuleasim  Kalantar,  a  man  of  large  landed  pro- 
perty, who  was  very  courteous.  Conversation,  as  usual, 
about  the  happiness  of  India  and  England. 

"  We  called  on  Aga  Boozorg,  an  old  man  of  ninety, 
whose  house,  or  rather  college,  is  a  kind  of  asylum ; 
for  he  is  so  venerated,  that  even  the  Vizier  dare  not 
drag  an  offender  thence.  A  poor  ragged  fellow  came 
while  we  were  there,  and  said  that  the  Vizier  had  sent 
him.  '  Go  and  tell  the  Vizier,'  said  he,  '  to  knock  his 
head  against  the  pavement,  and  not  send  such  messen- 
gers to  me.' 

"  A  poor  blind  man  whom  we  met  begging,  the  Khan 
pointed  out  to  me,  as  one  who  formerly  was  a  general, 
and  one  of  Kureen  Khan's  family  ;  but,  by  a  change 
of  dynasty,  had  lost  his  eyes.  Nobody  took  any  notice 
of  him." 

Who  can  read  some  of  the  ensuing  remarks  without 
discovering  how  abundantly  those  words  of  our  Savior 
were  verified  in  Mr.  Martyn  ?  "  neither  pray  I  for  these 
alone,  but  for  them  also  which  shall  believe  on  me 
through  their  word :  that  they  all  may  be  one,  as  thou, 
Father,  art  in  me,  and  I  in  thee,  that  they  also  may  be 
one  in  us,  that  the  world  may  believe  that  thou  hast 
sent  me."  John,  17  :  20,  21. 


HENRY    MARTYN.  367 

Jan.  16. — "  Mirea  Seid  Ali  told  me  accidentally,  to- 
day, of  a  distich  made  by  his  friend  Mirza  Koochut,  at 
Teheran,  in  honor  of  a  victory  obtained  by  Prince  Ab- 
bas Mirza  over  the  Russians.  The  sentiment  was,  that 
he  had  killed  so  many  of  the  Christians,  that  Christ, 
from  the  fourth  heaven,  took  hold  of  Mohammed's 
skirt  to  entreat  him  to  desist.  I  was  cut  to  the  soul  at 
this  blasphemy.  In  prayer  I  could  think  of  nothing 
else  but  that  great  day,  when  the  Son  of  God  shall 
come  in  the  clouds  of  heaven,  taking  vengeance  on 
them  that  know  not  God,  and  convincing  men  of  all 
their  hard  speeches  which  they  have  spoken  against 
him. 

"  Mirza  Seid  Ali  perceived  that  I  was  considerably 
disordered,  and  was  sorry  for  having  repeated  the 
verse  ;  but  asked  what  it  was  that  was  so  offensive?  I 
told  him  that  '  I  could  not  endure  existence  if  Jesus 
was  not  glorified ;  it  would  be  hell  to  me,  if  he  were  to 
be  always  thus  dishonored.'  He  was  astonished,  and 
again  asked,  why  ?  '  If  any  one  pluck  out  your  eyes,' 
I  replied,  '  there  is  no  saying  why  you  feel  pain — it  is 
feeling.  It  is  because  I  am  one  with  Christ  that  I  am 
thus  dreadfully  wounded."  On  his  again  apologizing, 
I  told  him  that  '  I  rejoiced  at  what  had  happened,  in- 
asmuch as  it  made  me  feel  nearer  the  Lord  than  ever. 
It  is  when  the  head  or  heart  is  struck,  that  every  mem- 
ber feels  its  membership.'  This  conversation  took  place 
while  we  were  translating.  In  the  evening,  he  men- 
tioned the  circumstance  of  a  young  man's  being  mur- 
dered, a  fine  athletic  youth,  whom  I  had  often  seen  in 
the  garden.  Some  acquaintance  of  his,  in  a  slight  quar- 
rel, had  plunged  a  dagger  in  his  breast.  Observing  me 


388  MEMOIR   OF 

look  sorrowful,  he  asked  why.  '  Because,'  said  I,  'he 
was  cut  off  in  his  sins,  and  had  no  time  to  repent.'  '  It 
is  just  in  that  way,'  said  he,  '  that  I  should  like  to  die ; 
not  dragging  out  a  miserable  existence  on  a  sick  bed, 
but  transported  at  once  into  another  state.'  I  observed 
that  '  It  was  not  desirable  to  be  hurried  into  the  imme- 
diate presence  of  God.'—'  Do  you  think,'  said  he,  '  that 
there  is  any  difference  between  the  presence  of  God 
here  or  there?' — 'Indeed,  I  do,'  said  I.  'Here  we  see 
through  a  glass,  darkly ;  but  there,  face  to  face.'  He 
then  entered  into  some  metaphysical  Soofie  disputa- 
tion about  the  identity  of  sin  and  holiness,  heaven  and 
hell ;  to  all  which  I  made  no  reply." 

The  subjoined  conversation,  into  which  Mr.  Martyn 
was  led,  exhibits  the  ignorance  of  the  natural  man, 
and  the  knowledge  of  the  spiritual  man,  in  striking 
contrast. 

Jan.  18. — "  Aga  Ali,  of  Media,  came,  and  with  him 
and  Mirza  Ali  I  had  a  long  and  warm  discussion  about 
the  essentials  of  Christianity.  The  Mede  seeing  us  at 
work  upon  the  Epistles,  said  '  he  should  be  glad  to 
read  them  ;  as  for  the  Gospels,  they  were  nothing  but 
tales,  which  were  of  no  use  to  him  ;  for  instance,'  said 
he,  'if  Christ  raised  four  hundred  dead  to  life,  what  is 
that  to  me  ?'  I  said,  '  It  certainly  was  of  importance, 
for  his  works  were  a  reason  for  our  depending  upon 
his  words.'  '  What  did  he  say,'  asked  he,  '  that  wa3 
not  known  before?  the  love  of  God — humility;  who 
does  not  know  these  things?'  'Were  these  things,' 
said  I,  '  known  before  Christ,  either  among  Greeks  or 
Romans,  with  all  their  philosophy?'  They  averred 
that  the  Hindoo  book  Juh  contained  precepts  of  this 


HEKRY    MARTYN.  369 

Kind.  I  questioned  its  antiquity ;  '  but,  however  that 
may  be,'  I  added,  '  Christ  came  not  to  teach,  so  much 
as  to  die  ;  the  truths  I  spoke  of,  as  confirmed  by  his 
miracles,  were  those  relating  to  his  person  ;  such  as, 
'  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labor  and  are  heavy  laden, 
and  I  will  give  you  rest.'  Here  Mirza  Seid  Ali  told 
him  that  I  had  professed  to  have  no  doubt  of  my  sal- 
vation. He  asked  what  I  meant  ?  I  told  him  '  that 
though  sin  still  remained,  I  was  assured  that  it  should 
not  regain  dominion  ;  and  that  I  should  never  come  into 
condemnation,  but  was  accepted  in  the  beloved.'  Not 
a  little  surprised,  he  asked  Mirza  Seid  Ali  whether 
he  comprehended  this?  'No,'  said  he,  'nor  Mirza 
Ibraheem,  to  whom  I  mentioned  it.'  The  Mede  again 
turning  to  me,  asked,  'how  do  you  know  this? 
how  do  you  know  you  have  experienced  the  second 
birth  ?'  '  Because,'  said  I,  '  we  have  the  Spirit  of  the 
Father ;  what  he  wishes,  we  wish ;  what  he  hates, 
we  hate.'  Here  he  began  to  be  a  little  more  calm 
and  less  contentious,  and  mildly  asked  how  I  had 
obtained  this  peace  of  mind  ;  '  was  it  merely  those 
books  ?'  said  he,  taking  up  some  of  our  sheets. 
I  told  him,  'These  books,  with  prayer.'  'What  was 
the  beginning  of  it,'  said  he ;  '  the  society  of  some 
friends?'  I  related  to  him  my  religious  history,  the 
substance  of  which  was,  that  I  took  my  Bible  before 
God,  in  prayer,  and  prayed  for  forgiveness  through 
Christ,  assurance  of  it  through  his  Spirit,  and  grace 
to  obey  his  commandments.  They  then  both  asked 
whether  the  same  benefit  would  be  conferred  on  them  ? 
'  Yes,'  I  replied,  '  I  bring  you  this  message  from  God, 
that  he  who,  despairing  of  himself,  rests  for  righteous- 


370  MEMOIR  OF 

ness  on  the  Son  of  God,  shall  receive  the  gift  of  the 
Holy  Ghost ;  and  to  this  I  can  add  my  testimony,  if 
that  be  worth  any  thing,  that  I  have  found  the  promise 
fulfilled  in  myself.  'What !  would  you  have  me  be- 
lieve,' said  he,  '  as  a  child  ?'  '  Yes,'  said  I.  '  True,' 
said  he,  'I  think  that  is  the  only  way.'  Aga  Ali  said 
no  more,  but  '  Certainly  he  is  a  good  man  !'  " 

Shortly  after  this  discussion,  Mr.  Martyn  states  him- 
self to  have  attended  a  public  exhibition  of  a  religious 
kind.  The  reason  why  he  did  not  repeat  his  atten- 
dance, whether  well  grounded  or  not,  is  at  least  a 
proof  that  patriotic  feelings  in  his  mind  were  not  ex- 
tinguished by  Christianity. 

Jan.  23. — "  Put  on  my  English  dress,  and  went  to 
the  Vizier's  to  see  part  of  the  tragedy  of  Hosyn's  death, 
which  they  contrive  to  spin  out  so  as  to  make  it  last 
the  first  ten  days  of  the  Mohurrin.  All  the  apparatus 
consisted  of  a  few  boards  for  a  stage,  two  tables,  and  a 
pulpit,  under  an  immense  awning,  in  the  court  where 
the  company  were  assembled.  The  dramatis  persona 
were  two  ;  the  daughter  of  Hosyn,  whose  part  was 
performed  by  a  boy,  and  a  messenger  ;  they  both  read 
their  parts.  Every  now  and  then  loud  sobs  were 
heard  all  over  the  court.  After  this,  several  feats  of 
activity  were  exhibited  before  the  altar,  where  the  Vi- 
zier sat  with  the  Moollahs.  I  was  appointed  to  a  seat, 
where,  indeed,  I  saw  as  much  as  I  wanted,  but  which, 
J  afterwards  perceived,  was  not  the  place  of  honor. 
As  I  trust  I  am  far  enough  from  desiring  the  chief 
seats  in  the  synagogues,  there  was  nothing  in  this  that 
could  offend  me  ;  but  I  do  not  think  it  right  to  let  him 
have  another  opportunity  of  showing  a  slight  to  my 
country  in  my  person." 


HENRY    MARTYN.  371 

Those  who  know  not  what  it  is  to  pass  a  dreary  sea- 
son of  long  seclusion  from  Christian  society,  sur- 
rounded by  those  who  are  immersed  in  all  wicked- 
ness, can  form  but  an  inadequate  idea  of  the  sacrifices 
to  which  Mr.  Martyn  submitted,  in  continuing  so  great 
a  length  of  time  at  Shiraz :  yet  we  may  in  some  mea- 
sure see  what  he  endured,  from  the  expression  of  sen- 
timents such  as  these : 

Feb.  2. — "  From  what  I  suffer  in  this  city,  I  can  un- 
derstand the  feelings  of  Lot.  The  face  of  the  poor 
Russian  appears  to  me  like  the  face  of  an  angel,  be- 
cause he  does  not  tell  lies.  Heaven  will  be  heaven,  be- 
cause there  will  not  be  one  liar  there.  The  word  of 
God  is  more  precious  to  me  at  this  time  than  I  ever  re- 
member it  to  have  been ;  and  of  all  the  promises  in  it, 
none  is  more  sweet  to  me  than  this — 'He  shall  reign 
till  he  hath  put  all  enemies  under  his  feet.' " 

Feb.  3. — "A  packet  arrived  from  India  without  a 
single  letter  for  me.  It  was  some  disappointment  to 
me ;  but  let  me  be  satisfied  with  my  God,  and  if  I 
cannot  have  the  comfort  of  hearing  from  my  friends, 
let  me  return  with  thankfulness  to  his  word,  which  is 
a  treasure  of  which  none  envy  me  the  possession,  and 
where  I  can  find  what  will  more  than  compensate  for 
the  loss  of  earthly  enjoyments.  Resignation  to  the  will 
of  God  is  a  lesson  which  I  must  learn,  and  which  I 
trust  he  is  teaching  me." 

What  an  influence  a  departure  from  the  precepts  of 
the  Gospel  has  upon  the  determination  of  the  judg- 
ment with  respect  to  its  doctrines,  appears  from  the 
representation  Mr.  Martyn  gives  of  the  conduct  of 
Mirza  Seid  Ali  at  this  period. 


372  MEMOIR  OF 

Feb.  4.-—"  Mirza  Seid  Ali,  who  has  been  enjoying 
himself  in  dissipation  and  idleness  these  two  days,  re- 
turned full  of  evil  and  opposition  to  the  Gospel. 

"Alluding  to  some  remarks  he  had  made,  'I  sup- 
pose,' said  he, '  you  think  it  is  sinful  to  sport  with  the 
characters  of  holy  men.'  'I  have  no  objection,'  I  re- 
plied, '  to  hear  your  sentiments ;  but  I  cannot  bear  to 
hear  any  thing  spoken  disrespectfully  of  the  Lord  Je- 
sus ;  and  yet  there  is  not  one  of  your  Soofies  but  has 
said  something  against  him.'  '  You  never  heard  me 
speak  lightly  of  Jesus,'  he  replied.  '  No,  there  is  some- 
thing so  awfully  pure  about  him,  that  nothing  can  be 
said."' 

"Recovering  somewhat  of  a  more  serious  spirit, 
Seid  Ali  joined  with  Aga  Boozorg,  whom  Mr.  Marty n 
describes  as  one  of  the  most  magisterial  of  the  Soofies, 
in  a  conversation  in  which  a  real  desire  for  religious 
information  seems  to  have  been  indicated.  The  day  on 
which  it  took  place  was  almost  entirely  consumed  in 
discussions  with  a  variety  of  visitors,  respecting  the 
Scriptures ;  it  concluded  with  a  very  pleasing  confes- 
sion on  the  part  of  Seid  Ali. 

Feb.  9.—"  Aga  Boozorg  came.  After  much  conver- 
sation, he  said, '  Prove  to  me,  from  the  beginning,  that 
Christianity  is  the  way :  how  will  you  proceed  1  what 
do  you  say  must  be  done  V  "If  you  would  not  believe 
a  person  who  wrought  a  miracle  before  you,*  said  I, 
'  I  have  nothing  to  say ;  I  cannot  proceed  a  step.'  '  I 
will  grant  you,'  said  Seid  Ali,  '  that  Christ  was  the 
Son  of  God,  and  more  than  that.'  ' That  you  despair 
of  yourself,  and  are  willing  to  trust  in  him  alone  for 
salvation?'  'Yes.'  'And  are  ready  to  confess  Christ 


HENRY   MARTY N.  043 

before  men,  and  act  conformably  to  his  word  V  '  Yes  s 
what  else  must  I  do  ?'  '  Be  baptized  in  the  name  of 
Christ.'  'And  what  shall  I  gain?'  'The  gift  of  the 
Holy  Ghost.  The  end  of  faith  is  salvation  in  the  world 
to  come;  but  even  here  you  shall  have  the  Spirit  to 
purify  your  heart,  and  to  give  you  the  assurance  of 
everlasting  happiness.'  Thus  Aga  Boozorg  had  the  op- 
portunity of  hearing  those  strange  things  from  my 
own  mouth,  of  which  he  had  been  told  by  his  disciple 
the  Mede.  'You  can  say,  too,'  said  he,  'that  you  have 
received  the  Spirit  ?'  I  told  them  I  believed  I  had  ; 
'  for,  notwithstanding  all  my  sins,  the  bent  of  my 
heart  was  to  God,  in  a  way  it  never  was  before ;  and 
that,  according  to  my  present  feelings,  I  could  not  be 
happy  if  God  was  not  glorified,  and  if  I  had  not  the 
enjoyment  of  his  presence,  for  which  I  felt  that  I  was 
now  educating.'  Aga  Boozorg  shed  tears. 

"A  Russian  officer  coming  in  at  the  time,  the  sub- 
ject of  religion  was  dropped,  except  that,  while  speak- 
ing of  the  convicts  of  Calcutta  whom  I  had  seen  at  the 
gaol,  Mirza  Seid  Ali  asked  me  how  I  addressed  them  ? 
I  told  him  that  I  cautioned  them  against  despair,  as- 
sured them  that  they. might  come  at  the  eleventh  hour; 
that  it  was  never  too  late  for  mercy,  if  they  came  to 
God  through  Christ. 

"  After  this  came  Aga  Ali,  the  Mede,  to  hear,  as  he 
said,  some  of  the  sentences  of  Paul.  Mirza  Seid  Ali 
had  told  them,  '  that  if  they  had  read  nothing  but  the 
Gospels,  they  knew  nothing  of  the  religion  of  Christ.1 
The  sheet  I  happened  to  have  by  me  was  the  one  con- 
taining the  fourth,  fifth,  and  sixth  chapters  of  the  se- 
32 


3T4  MEMOIR   OK 

cond  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians,  which  Aga  AH 
read  out. 

"At  this  time  the  company  had  increased  conside- 
rably. I  desired  Aga  Ali  to  notice  particularly  the 
latter  part  of  the  fifth  chapter,  '  God  was  in  Christ,  re- 
conciling the  world  unto  himself.'  He  then  read  it  a 
second  time,  but  they  saw  not  its  glory ;  however,  they 
spoke  in  high  terms  of  the  pith  and  solidity  of  Paul's 
sentences. 

"They  were  evidently  611  the  watch  for  any  thing 
that  tallied  with  their  own  sentiments.  Upon  the  pas- 
sage— 'Always  bearing  about  in  the  body  the  dying  of 
the  Lord  Jesus,'  the  Mede  observed,  '  Do  you  not  see 
that  Jesus  was  in  Paul,  and  that  Paul  was  only  another 
name  for  Jesus  V  And  the  text, '  Whether  we  be  beside 
ourselves,  it  is  to  God ;  and  whether  we  be  sober,  it  is 
for  your  sakes,'  they  interpreted  thus :  '  We  are  ab- 
sorbed in  the  contemplation  of  God ;  and  when  we 
recover,  it  is  to  instruct  you.' 

':  Walking  afterwards  with  Mirza  Seid  Ali,  he  told 
me  how  much  one  of  my  remarks  had  affected  him, 
namely,  that  he  had  no  humility.  He  had  been  talking 
about  simplicity  and  humility,  as  characteristic  of  the 
Soofies.  '  Humility  !'  I  said  to  him  ; '  if  you  were  hum- 
ble, you  would  not  dispute  in  this  manner;  you  would 
be  like  a  child.'  He  did  not  open  his  mouth  after- 
wards, but  to  say,  'True;  I  have  no  humility.'  In 
evident  distress,  he  observed,  '  The  truth  is,  we  are  in 
a  state  of  compound  ignorance ;  ignorant,  yet  igno- 
rant of  our  ignorance.'  " 

On  the  last  birth-day  Mr,  Martyn  lived  to  commeino- 


HENRY    MARTYN  375 

rate,  we  find  him  speaking  in  affecting  terms  with  re- 
spect to  his  privations  as  a  missionary,  yet  expressing 
himself  with  ardent  and  humble  gratitude  as  a  believer 
in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

Feb.  8. — "  While  walking  in  the  garden,  in  some 
disorder  from  vexation,  two  Mussulmen  Jews  came  up, 
and  asked  me  what  would  become  of  them  in  another 
world  ?  The  Mohammedans  were  right  in  their  way, 
they  supposed,  and  we  in  ours ;  but  what  must  they 
expect  ?  After  rectifying  their  mistake  as  to  the  Mo- 
hammedans, I  mentioned  two  or  three  reasons  for  be- 
lieving that  we  are  right:  such  as  their  dispersion,  and 
the  cessation  of  sacrifices,  immediately  on  the  appear- 
ance of  Jesus.  '  True,  true,'  they  said,  with  great  feel- 
ing and  seriousness ;  indeed,  they  seemed  disposed  to 
yield  assent  to  any  thing  I  said.  They  confessed  they 
had  become  Mohammedans  only  on  compulsion  :  and 
that  Abdoolghunee  wished  to  go  to  Bagdad,  thinking  he 
might  throw  off  the  mask  there  with  safety  ;  but  asked 
what  I  thought?  I  said  that  the  governor  was  a  Mo- 
hammedan. 'Did  I  think  Syria  safer?'  '  The  safest 
place  in  the  east,'  I  said,  '  was  India.'  Feelings  of  pity 
for  God's  ancient  people,  and  having  the  awful  impor- 
tance of  eternal  things  impressed  on  my  mind  by  the 
seriousness  of  their  inquiries  as  to  what  would  become 
of  them,  relieved  me  from  the  pressure  of  my  com- 
paratively insignificant  distresses.  I,  a  poor  Gentile, 
blest,  honored,  and  loved;  secured  for  ever  by  the 
everlasting  covenant,  whilst  the  children  of  the  king- 
dom are  still  lying  in  outward  darkness !  Well  does  it 
become  me  to  be  thankful. 

"This  is  my  birth-day,  on  which  I  complete  my 


376  MEMOIR    OF 

thirty -first  year.  The  Persian  New  Testament  has  been 
begun,  and  I  may  say,  finished  in  it,  as  only  the  last 
eight  chapters  of  the  Revelation  remain.  Such  a  pain- 
ful year  I  never  passed ;  owing  to  the  privations  I 
have  been  called  to,  on  the  one  hand,  and  the  spectacle 
before  me  of  human  depravity  on  the  other.  But  I 
hope  that  I  have  not  come  to  this  seat  of  Satan  in  vain. 
The  word  of  God  has  found  its  way  into  Persia,  and 
it  is  not  in  Satan's  power  to  oppose  its  progress,  if  the 
Lord  hath  sent  it." 

The  effect  upon  the  natural  conscience  of  a  plain  and 
solemn  declaration  of  the  awful  truths  of  Scripture, 
may  be  seen  in  the  case  of  one  of  Mr.  Martyn's  visit- 
ors, who  to  great  libertinism  of  practice  added  extreme 
latitudinarianism  of  principle. 

February  23.—"  Aga  Neeser  came,  and  talked  most 
captiously  and  irrelevantly  against  all  revealed  reli- 
gion. Three  years  ago  he  had  thrown  off  the  shackles 
of  Mohammed,  and  advised  me  to  do  the  same  with 
my  yoke.  I  told  him  that  I  preferred  my  yoke  to  his 
freedom.  He  was  for  sending  me  naked  into  a  wilder- 
ness; but  I  would  rather  be  a  child  under  the  restraints 
of  a  parent,  who  would  provide  me  with  food  and 
clothing,  and  be  my  protector  and  guide.  To  every 
thing  I  said  he  had  but  one  answer.  '  God  is  the  sole 
agent ;  sin  and  holiness,  happiness  and  misery,  cause; 
and  effect,  are  all  perfectly  one.'  Finding  him  deter- 
mined to  amuse  himself  in  this  way,  I  said,  'These 
things  will  do  very  well  for  the  present,  while  reclin- 
ing in  gardens  and  smoking  caleans ;  but  not  for  a 
dying  hour.    How  many  years  of  life  remain  ?  You 


HENRY   MARTYN.  377 

are  about  thirty,  perhaps  thirty  more  remain.  How 
swiftly  have  the  last  thirty  passed  !  how  soon  will  the 
next  thirty  be  gone  !  and  then  we  shall  see.  If  you 
are  right,  I  lose  nothing;  if  I  am  right,  you  lose  your 
soul.  Leaving  out  the  consideration  of  all  religion,  it 
is  probable  that  the  next  world  may  be  akin  to  this, 
and  our  relation  to  both  not  dissimilar.  But  here  we 
see  that  childhood  is  a  preparation  for  manhood,  and 
that  neglect  of  the  proper  employments  of  childhood 
entails  misery  in  riper  years.'  The  thought  of  death, 
and  of  separation  from  his  pleasures,  made  him  seri- 
ous ;  or  perhaps  he  thought  it  useless  to  press  me  with 
any  one  of  his  dogmas.-' 

On  the  24th  of  February,  1812,  the  last  sheet  of  the 
Persian  New  Testament  was  completed.  "I  have  many 
mercies,"  said  the  author  of  this  great  work,  on  bring- 
ing it  to  a  termination,  "  for  which  to  thank  the  Lord, 
and  this  is  not  the  least.  Now  may  that  Spirit  who 
gave  the  word,  and  called  me,  I  trust,  to  be  an  inter- 
preter of  it,  graciously  and  powerfully  apply  it  to  the 
hearts  of  sinners,  even  to  the  gathering  an  elect  peo- 
ple from  amongst  the  long-estranged  Persians  !" 

The  version  of  the  Psalms  in  Persian,  "  a  sweet  em- 
ployment," as  Mr.  Martyn  terms  it,  and  which,  to  use 
his  own  language,  "  caused  six  weary  moons,  that 
waxed  and  waned  since  its  commencement,  to  pass 
unnoticed,"  was  finished  by  the  middle  of  the  month 
of  March. 

Mr.  Martyn  had  now  been  resident  for  the  space  of 
ten  months  at  Shiraz,  during  the  whole  of  which  time 
he  had  been  almost  incessantly  engaged,  as  we  have 
32* 


378  MEMOIR    OF 

seen,  in  endeavoring  to  reclaim  the  wretched  race  of 
infidels  around  him  from  the  error  of  their  ways.  So 
far  was  he  from  shrinking  from  any  fair  opportunity 
of  confessing  Christ  before  men,  that  he  gladly  em- 
braced and  boldly  sought  out  every  occasion  of  avow- 
ing "  whose  he  was,  and  whom  he  served."  Nor  was 
this  conduct  in  him  the  fruit  of  a  contentious  spirit; 
it  was  the  genuine  offspring  of  that  heavenly  charity, 
which  "  rejoicing  in  the  truth,"  is  ever  ready  "to  con- 
tend earnestly  for  the  faith  once  delivered  to  the 
saints."  No  one  could  have  a  more  deep-rooted  an- 
tipathy to  controversy,  at  all  times,  and  with  all  per- 
sons, than  Mr.  Martyn  :  a  paramount  regard  to  what 
was  indispensably  due  to  the  cause  of  his  Redeemer 
alone  could  induce  him  to  engage  in  it. 

One  public  argument  he  had  already  held  with  the 
chief  professor  of  Mohammedan  law  ;  a  second  dispu- 
tation, of  a  similar,  but  far  more  decided  character,  he 
was  led  to  enter  into,  at  this  time,  with  Mirza  Ibra- 
heem.  The  scene  of  this  discussion  was  a  court  in  the 
palace  of  one  of  the  Persian  princes,  where  a  nume- 
rous body  of  Moollahs  were  collected,  with  Mirza  Ibra- 
heem  at  their  head.  In  this  assembly  Mr.  Martyn 
stood  up  as  the  single  advocate  of  the  Christian  faith. 
Fearing  God,  like  Micaiah  the  son  of  Imlah,  he  feared 
not  man.  In  the  midst,  therefore,  of  a  Mohammedan 
conclave,  he  proclaimed  and  maintained  that  prime 
and  fundamental  article  of  true  religion,  the  divinity 
of  the  Son  of  God. 

"  On  the  23d,"  Mr.  Martyn  writes,  "  I  called  on  the 
Vizier,  and  afterwards  on  the  secretary  of  the  Ker- 
manshah  prince.   In  the  court  where  he  received  me, 


HENRY    MARTYN.  379 

Mirza  Ibraheem  was  lecturing.  Finding  myself  so 
near  my  old  and  respectable  antagonist,  I  expressed  a 
wish  to  see  him  ;  on  which  Jaffier  Ali  Khan  went  up 
to  ascertain  if  my  visit  would  be  agreeable.  The  mas- 
ter consented,  but  some  of  the  disciples  demurred.  At 
last  one  of  them  observing,  that,  'by  the  blessing  of 
God  on  the  masters  conversation,  I  might  possibly  be 
converted,'  it  was  agreed  that  I  should  be  invited  to 
ascend.  Then  it  became  a  question  where  I  ought  to 
sit.  Below  all,  would  not  be  respectful  to  a  stranger; 
but  above  all  the  Moollahs,  could  not  be  tolerated.  I 
entered,  and  was  surprised  at  the  numbers.  The  room 
was  lined  with  Moollahs,  on  both  sides,  and  at  the  top. 
I  was  about  to  sit  down  at  the  door,  but  I  was  beck- 
oned to  an  empty  place  near  the  top,  opposite  to  the 
master,  who,  after  the  usual  compliments,  without  fur- 
ther ceremony,  asked  me,  'what  we  meant  by  calling 
Christ,  God '?'  War  being  thus  unequivocally  declar- 
ed, I  had  nothing  to  do  but  to  stand  upon  the  defen- 
sive. Mirza  Ibraheem  argued  temperately  enough,  but 
of  the  rest,  some  were  very  violent  and  clamorous. 
The  former  asked,  'if  Christ  had  ever  called  himself 
God;  was  he  the  Creator  or  a  creature?''  I  replied, 
4  The  Creator.'  The  Moollahs  looked  at  one  another. 
Such  a  confession  had  never  before  been  heard  among 
these  Mohammedan  doctors. 

"One  Moollah  wanted  to  controvert  some  of  my 
illustrations,  by  interrogating  me  about  the  personality 
of  Christ.  To  all  his  questions  I  replied  by  requesting 
the  same  information  respecting  his  own  person. 

"To  another,  who  was  rather  contemptuous  and 
violent,  I  said,  '  If  you  do  not  approve  of  our  doctrine. 


380  MEMOIR   OF 

will  you  be  so  good  as  to  say  what  God  is,  according 
to  you,  that  I  may  worship  a  proper  object  ?'  One  said, 
'The  Author  of  the  universe.'  'I  can  form  no  idea 
from  these  words,'  said  I,  '  but  of  a  workman  at  work 
upon  avast  number  of  materials.  Is  that  a  correct  no- 
tion?' Another  said,  'One  who  came  of  himself  into 
being.'  '  So  then  he  came,'  I  replied ;  '  he  came  out 
of  one  place  into  another  ;  and  before  he  came,  he  was 
not.  Is  this  an  abstract  and  refined  notion?'  After  this 
no  one  asked  me  any  more  questions ;  and  for  fear  the 
dispute  should  be  renewed,  Jaffier  Ali  Khan  carried 


After  making  this  intrepid  and  memorable  confes- 
sion of  the  divinity  of  our  Lord  and  Savior  Jesus 
Christ,  in  which  he  might  be  described  as — 

c  Faithful  found 
•  Among  the  faithless  ;  faithful  only  he  : 
'  Unshaken,  unseduced,  unterrified, 
1  His  loyalty  he  kept,  his  zeal,  his  love. 

Mr.  Martyn  continued  only  a  short  time  at  Shiraz. 
From  his  own  hand  we  have  this  brief  account  of  that 
interesting  period  which  immediately  preceded  his  de- 
parture. 

"  Mirza  Seid  Ali  never  now  argues  against  the  truth, 
nor  makes  any  remarks  but  of  a  serious  kind.  He 
speaks  of  his  dislike  to  some  of  the  Soofies.  on  account 
of  their  falsehood  and  drunken  habits.  This  approach 
to  the  love  of  morality  is  the  best  sign  of  a  change  for 
the  better  which  I  have  yet  seen  in  him.  As  often  as 
he  produces  the  New  Testament,  which  he  always 


HEXrtY    MARTYX.  381 

does  when  any  of  his  friends  come,  his  brother  and 
cousin  ridicule  him  ;  but  he  tells  them  that,  supposing 
no  other  benefit  to  have  been  derived,  it  is  certainly 
something  better  to  have  gained  all  this  information 
about  the  religion  of  Christians,  than  to  have  loitered 
away  the  year  in  the  garden." 

April  27. — ';Four  Moollahs  of  Mirza  Ibraheem's 
school  came  to  dispute  against  European  philosophy 
and  European  religion. 

"Mirza  Seid  Ali  requested,  at  Mirza  Ibraheem's  de- 
sire, to  know  where  we  got  our  notions  concerning 
the  Holy  Spirit?  He,  for  his  part,  did  not  remember 
any  passage  in  the  New  Testament  which  bore  upon 
the  subject.  I  referred  them  to  the  second  chapter  of 
the  first  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians." 

May  10. — "Passed  some  days  at  Jaffier  Ali  Khan's 
garden,  with  Mirza  Seid  Ali,  Aga  Baba,  and  Shekh 
Abulhasan,  reading,  at  their  request,  the  Old  Testa- 
ment histories.  Their  attention  to  the  word,  and  their 
love  and  attention  to  me,  seemed  to  increase  as  the 
time  of  my  departure  approached. 

"Aga  Baba,  who  had  been  reading  St.  Matthew,  re- 
lated very  circumstantially  to  the  company,  the  parti- 
culars of  the  death  of  Christ.  The  bed  of  roses  on 
which  we  sat,  and  the  notes  of  the  nightingales  warb- 
ling around  us,  were  not  so  sweet  to  me  as  this  dis- 
course from  the  Persian. 

"Telling  Mirza  Seid  Ali  one  day  that  I  wished  to 
return  to  the  city  in  the  evening,  to  be  alone,  and  at 
leisure  for  prayer — he  said  with  seriousness,  '  though 
a  man  had  no  other  religious  society,  I  suppose  he 
may,  with  the  aid  of  the  Bible,  live  alone  with  Gcd  I' 


332  memoir  or 

This  solitude  will,  in  one  respect,  be  Lis  own  state 
soon.  May  he  find  it  the  medium  of  God's  gracious 
communications  to  his  soul !  He  asked  in  what  way- 
God  ought  to  be  addressed.]  I  told  him,  as  a  father, 
with  respectful  love ;  and  added  some  other  exhorta- 
tions on  the  subject  of  prayer." 

May  11. — "Aga  Baba  came  to  bid  me  farewell, 
which  he  did  in  the  best  and  most  solemn  way,  by 
asking,  as  a  final  question,  whether,  independently  of 
external  evidences,  I  had  any  internal  proofs  of  the 
doctrine  of  Christ?'  I  answered,  'Yes,  undoubtedly: 
the  change  from  what  I  once  was,  is  a  sufficient  evi- 
dence to  me.'  At  last  he  took  his  leave,  in  great  sor- 
row, and,  what  is  better,  apparently  in  great  solicitude 
about  his  soul. 

"'  The  rest  of  the  day  I  continued  with  Mirza  Seid 
Ali,  giving  him  instructions  what  to  do  with  the  New 
Testament,  in  case  of  my  decease,  and  exhorting  him, 
as  far  as  his  confession  allowed  me,  to  stand  fast.  He 
had  made  many  a  good  resolution  respecting  his  be- 
setting sins.  I  hope,  as  well  as  pray,  that  some  lasting 
effect  may  be  seen  at  Shiraz,  from  the  word  of  God 
left  among  them." 


HENRY   MARTYN. 


CHAPTER   X. 

MR.  MARTYN  LEAVES  SHIRAZ,  IN  ORDER  TO  LAY  BEFORE  THE 
KING  HIS  TRANSLATION  OP  THE  NEW  TESTAMENT — ARRIVES 
AT  THE  CAMP — IS  NOT  ADMITTED  TO  AN  AUDIENCE — PRO- 
CEEDS   TO    TEBR1Z — SEVERE    ILLNESS. 

On  the  evening  of  the  24th  of  May,  one  year  after 
entering  Persia,  Mr.  Marty n  left  Shiraz,  in  company 
with  an  English  clergyman,  with  the  intention  of  lay- 
ing before  the  king  his  translation  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment ;  but  finding  that,  without  a  letter  of  introduc- 
tion from  the  British  ambassador,  he  could  not,  con- 
sistently with  established  usage,  be  admitted  into  the 
royal  presence,  he  determined  to  proceed  to  Tebriz, 
where,  at  that  time,  Sir  Gore  Ouseley,  his  Britannic 
majesty's  minister,  resided. 

His  journey  from  Shiraz  to  Tebriz  was  not  accom- 
plished in  less  than  eight  weeks,  including  one  week 
spent  at  Isfahan,  and  a  few  days  at  the  king's  camp ; 
and  the  latter  part  of  it  was  a  time  of  great  and  unfore- 
seen suffering  to  him.  Had  he  known  to  what  peril  his 
life  would  be  subjected,  he  doubtless  would  have  deem- 
ed his  object  of  too  insufficient  a  magnitude  to  justify 
his  exposing  himself  to  so  much  danger. 

"  A  little  before  sunset,"  Mr.  Martyn  writes,  "  I  left 
the  city,  and  at  ten  o'clock  at  night  the  cafila  started. 
Thus  ended  my  stay  at  Shiraz.  No  year  of  my  life 
was  ever  spent  more  usefully,  though  such  a  long  sepa- 
ration from  my  friends  was  often  a  severe  trial.  Our 
journey  to  Persepolis  was  performed  in  ten  hours.  I 


384  MEMOIR   OF 

had  a  fall  from  my  horse,  owing  to  the  saddle  com- 
ing off,  but  a  gracious  Providence  preserved  me  from 
harm." 

May  12.—"  Staid  at  Futihabad,  a  village  about  a  pa- 
rasang  from  the  ruins." 

May  13. — "  At  three  in  the  morning  we  pursued  our 
way,  and  at  eight  reached  a  village  at  the  north-eastern 
extremity  of  the  plain  of  Persepolis.  Remained  all  day 
at  the  caravansera,  correcting  the  Prince's  copy." 

May.  14. — "  Continued  our  journey  through  two 
ridges  of  mountains  to  Imanzadu  :  no  cultivation  to  be 
seen  any  where,  nor  scarcely  any  natural  vegetable 
production,  except  the  broom  and  hawthorn.  The  wea- 
ther was  rather  tempestuous,  with  cold  gusts  of  wind 
and  rain. 

"  The  inhabitants  of  the  village,  this  being  the  Iman- 
zadu's  tomb,  do  no  work,  and  pay  no  tax ;  but  are 
maintained  by  the  surrounding  villages,  and  the  casual 
offerings  of  visitors  to  the  tomb.  The  caravansera  be- 
ing in  ruins,  we  staid  all  this  rainy  day  at  a  private 
house,  where  we  were  visited  by  people  who  came  to 
be  cured  of  their  distempers." 

May  15. — "  From  the  top  of  a  mountain,  just  behind 
Imanzadu,  we  descended  into  a  vast  plain,  entirely  un- 
inhabited, except  where  the  skirts  of  it  were  spotted 
with  the  black  tents  of  the  wandering  tribes.  Crossing 
the  plain  obliquely,  we  passed  over  a  mountain  into 
another  plain,  where  was  the  same  scene  of  desolation. 
After  a  journey  of  ten  parasangs,  arrived,  at  two  in  the 
afternoon,  at  the  caravansera  Khooshee  Zar,  which  be- 
ing in  ruins,  let  in  the  wind  upon  u»  at  night  in  all 
directions." 


HENRY   MABTYN.  385 

"  On  rising,  on  the  morning  of  the  16th,  we  found  a 
hoar  frost,  and  ice  in  the  pools.  The  excessive  cold  at 
this  place  is  accounted  for,  by  its  being  the  highest 
land  between  the  Persian  gulf  and  the  Caspian  sea. 
The  baggage  not  having  come  up,  we  were  obliged  to 
pass  another  day  in  this  uncomfortable  neighborhood, 
where  nothing  was  to  be  procured  for  ourselves  or  our 
horses ;  the  scarcity  of  rain  this  year  having  left  the 
ground  destitute  of  verdure,  and  the  poor  village  near 
us  having  nothing  to  sell." 

May  17. — "  Our  way  to-day  lay  along  the  same  plain ; 
on  the  left  was  a  ridge  of  hills  covered  with  snow. 
Entering  another  plain,  into  which  the  former  led,  we 
reached  a  caravansera,  near  a  small  walled  village, 
called  Din  Serdoo." 

May  18. — "  After  a  journey  of  much  the  same  length, 
over  uneven  ground,  where  the  view  was  much  ob- 
structed, we  arrived  at  a  caravansera,  in  a  great  cleft, 
which  divides  Fars  from  Irak." 

May  19. — "  Moved  forward  six  parasangs,  to  a  pri- 
vate house  at  Mujrood.  The  plain,  as  usual,  uninha- 
bited ;  but  we  passed  one  village." 

May  20. — "  Continued  our  march,  over  the  same 
plain,  to  Comesha,  four  parasangs." 

May  21.—"  To  Mygar,  five  parasangs.  Finished  the 
revision  of  the  Prince's  copy.  At  eleven  at  night  we 
started  for  Isfahan,  where  we  arrived  soon  after  sunrise 
on  the  22d,  and  were  accommodated  in  one  of  the 
king's  palaces.  Found  my  old  Shiraz  scribe  here,  and 
corrected  with  him  the  Prince's  copy." 

May  23. — "  Called  on  the  Armenian  bishops  at  Julfa, 
and  met  Matteus.  He  is  certainly  vastly  superior  to 
33 


386  MEMOIR   OF 

any  Armenian  I  have  yet  seen.  We  went,  next,  to  the 
Italian  missionary,  Joseph  Carabiciate,  a  native  of 
Aleppo,  but  educated  at  Rome.  He  spoke  Latin ;  was 
very  sprightly,  considering  his  age,  which  was  sixty- 
six,  but  discovered  no  sort  of  inclination  to  talk  about 
religion.  Until  lately,  he  had  been  supported  by  the 
Propaganda;  but,  weary  at  last,  of  exercising  his  func- 
tions without  remuneration,  and  even  without  the  ne- 
cessary provision,  he  talked  of  returning  to  Aleppo." 
May  24. — Sunday. — "  Went  early  this  morning  to 
the  Armenian  church  attached  to  the  episcopal  resi- 
dence. Within  the  rails  were  two  out  of  the  four  bi- 
shops, and  other  ecclesiastics :  but,  in  the  body  of  the 
church,  only  three  people.  Most  of  the  Armenians  at 
Julfa,  which  is  now  reduced  to  five  hundred  houses, 
attended  at  their  respective  parish  churches,  of  which 
there  are  twelve,  served  by  twenty  priests.  After  their 
pageantry  was  over,  and  we  were  satisfied  with  pro- 
cessions, ringing  of  bells,  waving  of  colors,  and  other 
ceremonies,  which  were  so  numerous  as  entirely  to  re- 
move all  semblance  of  spiritual  worship,  we  were  con- 
demned to  witness  a  repetition  of  the  same  mockery 
at  the  Italian's  church,  at  his  request.  I  could  not  stand 
it  out ;  but  those  who  did,  observed  that  the  priest  ate 
and  drank  all  the  consecrated  elements  himself,  and 
gave  none  to  the  few  poor  women  who  composed  his 
congregation,  and  who,  the  Armenians  said,  had  been 
hired  for  the  occasion.  In  our  way  back,  we  called  at 
the  convent  of  Armenian  nuns,  a  company  of  ignorant 
old  women,  who  screamed  out  something  in  the  church, 
which  they  called  a  welcome  anthem.  I  tried  to  con- 
verse with  the  abbess,  through  Matteus,  and  was  not 


HILN'RY    MARTYN.  337 

much  surprised  to  find  her  utterly  without  information, 
when  the  bishops  have  so  little.  I  wished  to  learn 
Matteus's  sentiments  on  the  subject  of  monachism. 
Though  his  defence  of  it  showed  that  he  was  not 
strong  in  his  belief  of  its  utility,  I  was  grieved  to  see 
that  he  did  not  perceive  how  far  the  Christian  way  of 
sanctification  differed  from  these  human  devices  to  at- 
tain that  object.  I  talked  to  him  a  good  deal  about  the 
office  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  but  he  did  not,  while  assent- 
ing, seem  to  feel  its  importance.  Before  returning  to 
Isfahan,  we  sat  a  short  'time  in  the  garden,  with  the 
bishops.  They,  poor  things!  had  nothing  to  say,  and 
could  scarcely  speak  Persian ;  so  that  all  the  conver- 
sation was  between  me  and  Matteus.  At  my  request 
he  brought  what  he  had  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  in 
Persian  and  Arabic.  They  were  Wheloi's  Persian  Gos- 
pels, and  an  Arabic  version  of  the  Gospels,  printed  at 
Rome.  I  tried  in  vain  to  bring  him  to  any  profitable 
discussion ;  with  more  sense  than  his  brethren,  he  is 
not  more  advanced  in  spiritual  knowledge.  Returned 
much  disappointed.  Julfa  had  formerly  twenty  bi- 
shops, and  about  one  hundred  clergy,  with  twenty-four 
churches.  All  the  Armenians  can  read,  and  have  the 
New  Testament ;  but  family  prayer  is  not  known. 
They  may  go  every  day  to  church  prayers.  Matteus 
preaches  every  Sunday,  he  says,  and  this  day  expound- 
ed the  first  of  John,  which  was  the  Gospel  for  the  day." 
May  26. — "  The  Armenian  bishops  and  three  priests 
caire  to  return  our  visit.  Matteus  brought  with  him  a 
copy  of  the  Gospels,  Armenian  and  Persian,  done  by 
Joannes,  the  late  bishop  here ;  who,  he  saj's,  was  a 
good  scholar,  and  wrote  on  the  divinity  of  Christ."    ■ 


388  MEMOIR   OF 

At  the  end  of  the  month  of  May  Mr.  Martyn  do- 
parted  from  Isfahan,  and  thus  describes  a  route  in 
which  the  extremes  of  lovely  fertility  and  sterile  deso- 
lation seem  to  have  been  united.  ! 

June  1. — "  Continued  winding  through  the  moun- 
tains to  Caroo,  situated  in  a  deep  dell.  Here  were 
trees,  green  corn-fields,  and  running  streams ;  it  was 
the  first  place  I  have  seen  in  Asia  which  exhibited  any 
thing  of  the  scenery  of  England." 

June  2. — "  Soon  after  midnight  we  mounted  our 
horses.  It  was  a  mild  moonlight  night,  and  a  night- 
ingale filled  the  whole  valley  with  his  notes.  Our  way 
was  along  lanes,  over  which  the  wood  on  each  side 
formed  a  canopy,  and  a  murmuring  rivulet  accom- 
panied us,  till  it  was  lost  in  a  lake.  At  day-light  we 
emerged  into  the  plain  of  Cashan,  which-  seems  to  be 
a  part  of  the  Great  Salt  Desert.  On  o'ur  arrival  at  the 
king's  garden,  where  we  intended  to  put  up,  we  were 
at  first  refused  admittance,  but  an  application  to  the 
governor  was  soon  attended  to.  We  saw,  here,  huge 
snowy  mountains  on  the  north-east  beyond  Tehran." 

June  5. — "  Reached  Kom  ;  the  country  uniformly 
desolate. 

"  The  chief  Moojtuhid  in  all  Persia  being  a  resident 
of  this  city,  I  sent  to  know  if  a  visit  would  be  agreea- 
ble to  him.  His  reply  was,  that  if  I  had  any  business 
with  him,  I  might  come;  but  if  otherwise,  his  age  and 
infirmities  must  be  his  excuse.  Intending  to  travel  a 
double  stage,  started  soon  after  sunset;  and,  on 

June  6. — "  Crossed  the  desert,  which  we  had  been 
skirting  from  the  day  we  came  in  sight  of  Cashan. 
After  traveling  ten  parasangs,  reached  the  caravansera 


HENRY    MARTY X.  6b\f 

of  Hour  Sultania.  Here,  first,  we  seemed  to  be  ap- 
proaching the  Tartar  regions." 

June  7.— "Arrived  at  a  caravansera,  with  villages 
in  the  neighborhood,  seven  parasangs.  A  large  party 
gathered  about  me  in  the  evening,  and  from  asking 
questions  about  Europe,  proceeded,  as  usual,  to  inter- 
rogate me  concerning  Christ.  They  continued  about 
me  till  I  mounted  my  horse,  and  rode  from  amongst 
them,  to  prosecute  my  journey." 

June  8. — "Arrived,  two  hours  before  day-break,  at 
the  walls  of  Tehran.  I  spread  my  bed  upon  the  high 
road,  and  slept  till  the  gates  were  open  ;  then  entered 
the  city,  and  took  up  my  abode  at  the  ambassador's 
house." 

As  no  muleteers  could  be  procured  at  Tehran  to 
proceed  to  Tebriz,  it  was  considered  advisable  that 
Mr.  Martyn  should  travel  alone  to  the  king's  camp,  for 
the  purpose  of  seeing  Mirza  Shufi,  the  premier,  or 
Ameenoddoula,  and  soliciting  his  assistance  in  obtain- 
ing for  him  an  introduction  to  the  king ;  for  he  was 
"  anxious  to  lose  no  time  in  presenting  his  book."  So, 
"leaving  the  city,"  he  says,  "just  before  the  gates  were 
shut,  and  giving  the  cattle  their  feed  outside  the  walls, 
I  went  on,  and  traveled  all  night,  till  sunrise,  when  I 
arrived  at  the  caravansera,  close  to  the  king's  camp  at 
Carach.  I  lost  no  time  in  forwarding  Jafrler  Ali  Khan's 
letter  to  the  premier,  who  sent  to  desire  that  I  would 
come  to  him.  I  found  him  lying  ill  in  the  verandah  of 
the  king's  tent  of  audience.  Near  him  were  sitting  two 
persons,  who,  I  was  afterwards  informed,  were  Mirza 
Khanter,  and  Mirza  Abdoolwahab;  the  latter  being  a 
33* 


390  MEMOIR   OF 

secretary  of  state,  and  a  great  admirer  of  the  Soofie 
sage.  They  took  very  little  notice,  not  rising  when  I 
sat  down,  as  is  their  custom  to  all  who  sit  with  them ; 
nor  offering  me  calean.  The  two  secretaries,  on  learn- 
ing my  object  in  coming,  began  a  conversation  with 
me  on  religion  and  metaphysics,  which  lasted  two 
hours.  As  they  were  both  well-educated,  gentlemanly 
men,  the  discussion  was  temperate,  and,  I  hope,  use- 
ful. What  I  remember  of  it  was  as  follows :  'Do  you 
consider  the  New  Testament  as  the  word  spoken  by 
God?'  'The  sense  from  God,  but  the  expression  from 
the  different  writers  of  it.'  Here  the  premier  asked 
how  many  languages  I  understood ;  whether  I  spoke 
French;  where  I  was  educated ;  whether  I  understood 
astronomy  and  geography :  and  then  observed  to  the 
others,  that  I  spoke  good  Persian ;  to  which  they  as- 
sented. They  resumed — '  We  want  to  know  what  your 
learned  men  think  about  the  state  of  the  soul  after 
death,  till  the  resurrection.'  I  mentioned  the  different 
opinions.  '  But  how,  think  you,  does  the  spirit  exist 
without  a  body?'  'Tell  me,'  said  I,  'how  the  angels 
exist,  and  I  will  tell  you.'  'In  what  sense  do  you  be- 
lieve the  resurrection  of  the  body?  that  every  particle 
buried  shall  rise?'  I  mentioned  the  Scripture  meta- 
phor of  the  wheat  dying  and  rising,  with  which  the 
Soofie  secretary  appeared  much  pleased.  'What  are 
the  principles  of  your  religion  ?'  '  They  are  all  centred 
in  Jesus;  not  in  his  precepts,  but  in  himself.'  'What 
are  your  opinions  concerning  Christ  ?  was  he  a  pro- 
phet created?'  '  His  manhood  was  created;  his  God- 
head, of  course,  was  not.'  '  Now  we  much  wish  to 
hear  what  are  your  notions  on  that  extraordinary  sub- 


HENRY    MARTYN.  391 

ject,  the  Trinity'?'  I  explained  them,  and  began  with 
observing  that  the  doctrine  was  by  no  means  so  extra- 
ordinary as  at  first  sight  it  appeared  to  be ;  and  then 
brought  forward  the  illustration  from  the  words,  '  the 
Image  of  the  invisible  God.'  'Have  you  read  the  Ko- 
ran V  l  Yes.'  '  Is  it  not  a  miracle  V  '  Prove  it  to  be  so.' 
The  Soofie  said,  as  if  from  me,  '  The  Arabs  say  it  is 
inimitably  elegant;  how  do  I,  who  am  a  Persian, 
know  it  to  be  so  V  '  What  do  you  say  to  the  division  of 
the  moon  ?'  '  That  there  is  no  sufficient  evidence  for 
it.'  'What  superior  evidence  have  you  for  the  mira- 
cles of  Christ?'  I  was  about  to  answer,  when  the 
Soofie,  not  thinking  it  would  be  satisfactory,  said,  ra- 
ther dogmatically,  that  no  religion  could  be  proved 
demonstratively.  I  said  that  '  if  such  a  degree  of  pro- 
bable evidence  was  adduced,  as  we  acted  upon  in  com- 
mon life,  we  should  be  inexcusable  in  rejecting  it.' 

"  On  the  top  of  the  caravansera,  at  sunset,  I  had  a 
conversation  of  a  different  kind,  on  these  subjects.  A 
man,  seated  on  his  rug,  asked  me  what  I  walked  up 
and  down  for,  and  told  me  to  come  and  sit  with  him 
on  his  carpet.  I  did  so,  and  found  him  to  be  a  plain 
Mohammedan,  that  is,  a  compound  of  bigotry  and  ig- 
norance. Every  thing  I  said  went  for  nothing.  I  knew 
nothing  at  all  about  the  Gospel.  He  had  talked  with 
Armenian  preachers,  and  therefore  knew  more  about 
the  matter  than  myself.  They  had  told  him  that  the 
story  of  Jesus  and  Mary  in  the  Koran  was  exactly 
true ;  this  he  took  to  be  an  acknowledgment  that  the 
book  was  from  God.  Thinking  it  worth  while  to  see 
the  state  of  the  middling  rank  of  Mohammedans,  I  let 
him  talk  away.    He  supposed  that  the  Mohammedans 


392  MEMOIR    OF 

had  formerly  taken  all  Europe,  and  that  we  still  paid 
tribute  for  being  permitted  to  live.  That  the  mother  of 
Mehdi  was  the  daughter  of  Simon  Peter  or  Plato  ;  he 
could  not  tell  which,  but  rather  thought  it  was  Con- 
stantine,  emperor  of  Rome.  He  could  not  understand 
how  Europe  should  be  on  one  side  of  Persia,  and  India 
on  the  other.  Such  geographical  difficulties  are  not  to 
be  wondered  at  in  such  a  poor  fellow,  though  he  had 
traveled  as  a  merchant  a  good  deal,  when  the  Mool- 
lahs,  and  probably  even  the  ministers  of  state,  do  not 
know  the  relative  situation  of  the  provinces  of  their 
own  kingdom. 

c<  This  man  was  very  angry  at  my  presuming  to 
ask  why  he  was  a  Mohammedan.  Finding  me  at  last 
more  disposed  to  hear  than  to  speak,  he  began  to 
think  that  his  discourse  had  made  some  impression 
upon  me;  and,  with  eyes  sparkling  with  hopes  of  a 
conquest,  told  me,  with  great  affection,  what  I  should 
do  to  get  a  knowledge  of  the  truth.  '  Drink,'  said  he, 
'  no  wine  for  three  days  ;  pray,  according  to  your  own 
form,  for  divine  direction — and,  depend  upon  it,  you 
will  find  it.'  '  But  supposing,'  said  I,  '  that  I  have  no 
such  doubts  in  my  mind  as  to  feel  my  need  of  divine 
direction  in  this  particular  ;  what  then?'  '  Why  then,' 
said  he,  looking  grimly,  '  I  have  nothing  more  to  say 
to  you  ;  and  so,  good  night.'  " 

The  third  day  after  the  above  conversations,  Mr. 
Martyn  was  called  to  a  severer  trial  of  his  faith  and 
patience  than  any  to  which  he  had  yet  been  exposed. 
Several  of  the  most  intemperate  Moollahs  set  them- 
selves in  array  against  him,  and  contended  with  him  in 


HENRY    MARTYN.  393 

behalf  of  Mohammedanism,  in  the  presence  of  the  prime 
minister  of  the  kingdom.  There  it  was  demanded  of  him 
that  he  should  deny  that  Savior  who  had  bought  him 
with  his  blood ;  but  he  "  witnessed  a  good  confession," 
and  fearlessly  acknowledged  Jesus  as  his  Lord. 

June  12. — "I  attended  the  Vizier's  levee,  where 
there  was  a  most  intemperate  and  clamorous  contro- 
versy kept  up  for  an  hour  or  two ;  eight  or  ten  on  one 
side,  and  I  on  the  other.  Amongst  them  were  two 
Moollahs,  the  most  ignorant  of  any  I  have  yet  met 
with  in  either  Persia  or  India.  It  would  be  impossible 
to  enumerate  all  the  absurd  things  they  said.  Their 
vulgarity  in  interrupting  me  in  the  middle  of  a  speech ; 
their  utter  ignorance  of  the  nature  of  an  argument ; 
their  impudent  assertions  about  the  law  and  the  Gos- 
pel, neither  of  which  they  had  ever  seen  in  their  li^es, 
moved  my  indignation  a  little.  I  wished,  and  I  said  it 
would  have  been  well  if  Mirza  Abdoohvahab  had  been 
there ;  I  should  then  have  had  a  man  of  sense  to  argue 
with.  The  Vizier,  who  set  us  going  at  first,  joined  in 
it  latterly,  and  said,  '  You  had  better  say,  God  is  God, 
and  Mohammed  is  the  prophet  of  God."  I  said,  ■  God 
is  God,'  but  added,  instead  of  'Mohammed  is  the 
prophet  of  God,'  '  and  Jesus  is  the  Son  of  God.'  They 
had  no  sooner  heard  this,  which  I  had  avoided  bring- 
ing forward  till  then,  than  they  all  exclaimed  in  con- 
tempt and  anger,  '  He  is  neither  born  nor  begets.'  and 
rose  up  as  if  they  would  have  torn  me  in  pieces.  One 
of  them  said,  '  What  will  you  say  when  your  tongue 
is  burnt  out  for  this  blasphemy?5 

"  One  of  them  felt  for  me  a  little,  and  tried  to  soften 
the  severity  of  this  speech.    My  book,  which  I  had 


394  memoir  of 

brought,  expecting  to  present  it  to  the  king,  lay  before 
Mirza  Shun*.  As  they  all  rose  up,  after  him,  to  go, 
some  to  the  king,  and  some  away,  I  was  afraid  they 
would  trample  upon  the  book ;  so  I  went  in  among 
them  to  take  it  up,  and  wrapped  it  in  a  towel  before 
them  •  while  they  looked  at  it  and  me  with  supreme 
contempt. 

"  Thus  I  walked  away  alone  to  my  tent,  to  pass  the 
rest  of  the  day  in  heat  and  dirt.  What  have  I  done, 
thought  I,  to  merit  all  this  scorn?  Nothing,  I  trust, 
but  bearing  testimony  to  Jesus.  I  thought  over  these 
things  in  prayer,  and  found  that  peace  which  Christ 
hath  promised  to  his  disciples: 

'  If  on  my  face,  for  thy  dear  name,'  &c. 

§To  complete  the  trials  of  the  day,  a  message  came 
from  the  Vizier,  in  the  evening,  to  say  that  it  was  the 
custom  of  the  king  not  to  see  any  Englishman,  unless 
presented  by  the  ambassador,  or  accredited  by  a  letter 
from  him ;  and  that  I  must  therefore  wait  till  the  king 
reached  Sultania,  where  the  ambassador  would  be." 

After  this  "  day  of  rebuke  and  blasphemy," — when 
that  divine  promise  was  eminently  fulfilled  towards 
Mr.  Martyn,  "  thou  shalt  hide  them  in  the  secret  of  thy 
presence  from  the  pride  of  man  ;  thou  shalt  keep  them 
secretly  in  thy  pavilion  from  the  strife  of  tongues ;" 
when,  having  heard  the  "slander  of  many,"  and  being 
made  "  a  reproach  amongst  all  his  enemies,"  he  could 
nevertheless  exclaim  with  the  Psalmist,  "  O  how  great 
is  thy  goodness,  which  thou  hast  laid  up  for  them  that 
fear  thee,  which  thou  hast  wrought  for  them  that 
trust  in  thee  before  the  sons  of  men" — he  turned  his 


HENRY    MARTYN.  'S{)5 

back  upon  the  king's  camp,  having  been  joined  by  his 
companion  from  Tehran,  and  prosecuted  his  journey 
towards  Tebriz. 

June  13. — "  Disappointed,"  he  writes,  "  of  my  ob- 
ject in  coming  to  the  camp,  I  lost  no  time  in  leaving 

it,  and  proceeded,  in  company  with  Mr.  C ,  who 

had  just  joined  me  from  Tehran,  towards  Casbin  ;  in- 
tending there  to  wait  the  result  of  an  application  to 
the  ambassador.  Started  at  eleven,  and  traveled  till 
eleven  next  morning,  having  gone  ten  parasangs,  or 
forty  miles,  to  Quishlag.  The  country  all  along  was 
well  watered  and  cultivated.  The  mules  being  too 
much  tired  to  proceed,  we  passed  the  day  at  the  vil- 
lage ;  indeed,  we  all  wanted  rest.  As  I  sat  down  in  the 
dust,  on  a  shady  side  of  a  walled  village  by  which  we 
passed,  and  surveyed  the  plains  over  which  our  road 
lay,  I  sighed  at  the  thought  of  my  dear  friends  in  In- 
dia and  England  ;  of  the  vast  regions  I  must  traverse 
before  I  can  get  to  either,  and  of  the  various  and  un- 
expected hinderances  which  present  themselves  to  my 
going  forward !  I  comfort  myself  with  the  hope  that 
my  God  has  something  for  me  to  do,  by  thus  delaying 
my  exit." 

June  16. — "  Continued  at  the  village,  in  consequence 

of  an  illness  with  which  Mr.  C was  attacked  ;  but 

at  night  we  moved  forward,  and  after  traveling  seven 
parasangs  over  the  same  fine  plain,  reached  Casbin." 

June  17. — "In  the  caravansera  there,  they  were 
collecting  straw,  &c.  for  th&king,  whom  they  expected 
in  ten  days.  On  this  plea,  they  refused  to  allow  us  to 
unload  there." 

June  28.—"  Endeavored  to  get  a  muleteer  to  go  to 


396  MEMOIR  OF 

the  ambassador,  but  could  agree  with  none;  so  I  deter- 
mined to  stay  at  Casbin.  I  had  at  first  intended  to  go 
on  to  Sultania,  there  to  wait  for  the  king." 

June  20. — "  Left  this  place,  not  a  little  disgusted  at 
the  reception  we  had  met  with  there.  One  parasang 
off,  we  stopped  at  a  village  to  get  something  for  break- 
fast. One  of  the  people  there  asked  a  good  many 
questions  about  our  religion.  It  was  such  an  unusual 
thing  to  be  traveling  coolly,  in  the  middle  of  the  day, 
in  the  east,  that  it  produced  a  new  train  of  ideas :  in- 
deed, I  thought  of  nothing  but  of  my  dear  friends  in 
England,  and  of  the  days  when,  in  weather  like  this, 
I  walked  with  them,  '  taking  sweet  counsel.'  While 
passing  over  the  plain,  mostly  on  foot,  1  had  them  all 
in  my  mind,  and  bore  them  upon  my  heart  in  prayer. 
The  north  wind  from  the  Caspian,  I  suppose,  blowing 
through  some  clouds  which  rested  on  the  mountains 
on  our  right,  made  the  air  excessively  cold. 

"  Arrived,  between  twelve  and  one  o'clock,  at  Scah 
Dulir,  where  a  villager  gave  us  his  house;  and  though 
the  room  we  were  in  was  so  constructed  as  scarcely 
to  admit  the  light,  we  had  need  of  all  our  skins  to  keep 
us  warm." 

June  21. — "  On  account  of  the  coolness  of  the  wea- 
ther, we  did  not  think  it  necessary  to  start  till  seven 
o'clock,  after  breakfast.  Arrived  at  the  village  of  Aber 
at  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  having  taken  the 
shortest  route.  Till  we  reached  the  high  and  frequent- 
ed road,  all  was  barrenness ;  but  from  thence  we  found 
a  good  deal  of  cultivation,  as  also  all  the  way  from 
Casbin ;  near  which  city  the  vineyards  were  all  open 
to  the  road ;  there  was  not  so  much  as  a  fence." 


HENRY    MARTYN.  397 

June  22.— "  Left  Sangla  at  a  quarter  past  five  in  the 
morning,  and  at  a  quarter  past  ten  reached  Sultania. 
The  ueather  was  perfectly  cool  and  agreeable,  and  all 
around  were  the  pastures  of  the  wilderness.  We  met 
with  the  usual  insulting  treatment  at  the  caravansera, 
where  the  king's  servants  had  got  possession  of  a  good 
room,  built  for  the  reception  of  the  better  order  of 
guests;  they  seemed  to  delight  in  the  opportunity  of 
humbling  an  European.  Sultania  is  still  but  a  village, 
yet  the  Zengan  prince  has  quartered  himself  and  all  his 
attendants,  with  their  horses,  on  this  poor  little  village. 
All  along  the  road  where  the  king  is  expected,  the 
people  are  patiently  waiting,  as  for  some  dreadful  dis- 
aster:  plague,  pestilence,  or  famine,  are  nothing  to  the 
misery  of  being  subject  to  the  violence  and  extortion 
of  this  rabble  soldiery.  One  of  our  servants,  who  him- 
self had  formerly  been  a  soldier  in  the  king's  camp, 
said,  that  the  troops  were  raised  from  the  wandering 
tribes,  and  from  the  cities.  Those  from  the  tribes  are 
paid  by  the  king,  the  others  by  the  cities.  Sons  of  the 
chiefs  of  the  tribes,  and,  indeed,  of  all  in  important 
governments,  are  detained  at  court  as  hostages. 

June  24. — "  Left  Sultania  at  half-past  three.  Saw 
some  water-tortoises  on  the  edge  of  the  little  stream 
which  watered  the  vale.  Continued  our  course  to  Zen- 
gan, a  walled  city,  distant  from  Sultania  six  parasangs. 
Here  we  found,  in  the  caravansera,  large  bales  of  cot- 
ton, brought  by  merchants  from  Tehran,  intended  for 
Turkey.  There  were  also  two  Tartar  merchants,  na- 
tives of  Astrachan,  who  had  brought  iron  and  tea  for 
sale.  They  wished  to  know  whether  Ave  wanted  tea  of 
Cathay.  I  was  curious  to  know  something  about  the 
34 


398  MEMOIR   OF 

countries  they  had  visited  ;  but  they  spok:  nothing  bul 
Turkish,  without  which  language  a  person  may  travel 
to  very  little  purpose  in  these  parts :  Persian  is  quite  a 
foreign  language." 

June  25. — "  After  a  restless  night,  rose  so  ill  with  a 

fever  that  I  could  not  go  on.  My  companion,  Mr.  C , 

was  nearly  in  the  same  state.  We  touched  nothing  all 
day." 

June  26. — "  After  such  another  night,  I  had  deter- 
mined to  go  on,  but  Mr.  C declared  himself  unable 

to  stir ;  so  here  we  dragged  through  another  miserable 
day.  What  added  to  our  distress  was,  that  we  were  in 
danger,  if  detained  here  another  day  or  two,  of  being 
absolutely  in  want  of  the  necessaries  of  life  before 
reaching  Tebriz.  We  made  repeated  applications  to 
the  monied  people,  but  none  would  advance  a  piaster. 
Where  are  the  people  who  flew  forth  to  meet  General 
Malcolm  with  their  purses  and  their  lives?  Another 
generation  is  risen  up,  "  who  know  not  Joseph."  Pro- 
videntially a  poor  muleteer,  arriving  from  Tebriz,  be- 
came security  for  us,  and  thus  we  obtained  five  tomans. 
This  was  a  heaven-send;  and  we  lay  down  quietly, 
free  from  apprehensions  of  being  obliged  to  go  a  fa- 
tiguing journey  of  eight  or  ten  hours,  without  a  house 
or  village  in  the  way,  in  our  present  weak  and  reduced 
state.  We  had  now  eaten  nothing  for  two  days.  My 
mind  was  much  disordered  from  head-ache  and  giddi- 
ness, from  which  I  was  seldom  free ;  but  my  heart,  I 
trust,  was  with  Christ  and  his  saints.  To  live  much 
longer  in  this  world  of  sickness  and  pain,  seemed  no 
way  desirable ;  the  most  favorite  prospects  of  my  heart 
seemed  very  poor  and  childish ;  and  cheerfully  would 


HENRY    MARTYN.  699 

I  have  exchanged  them  all  for  the  unfading  inheri- 
tance." 

June  27. — "  My  Armenian  servant  was  attacked  in 
the  same  way.  The  rest  did  not  get  me  the  things  that 
I  wanted,  so  that  I  passed  the  third  day  in  the  same 
exhausted  state ;  my  head,  too,  was  tortured  with 
shocking  pains,  such  as,  together  with  the  horror  I  felt 
at  being  exposed  to  the  sun,  showed  me  plainly  to  what 
to  ascribe  my  sickness.  Towards  evening,  two  more  of 
our  servants  were  attacked  in  the  same  way,  and  lay 
groaning  from  pains  in  the  head." 

June  28. — "  All  were  much  recovered,  but  in  the 
afternoon  I  again  relapsed.    During  a  high  fever,  Mr. 

C read  to  me,  in  bed,  the  Epistle  to  the  Ephesians, 

and  I  never  felt  the  consolations  of  that  divine  revela- 
tion of  mysteries  more  sensibly  and  solemnly.  Rain 
in  the  night  prevented  our  setting  off." 

June  29. — "  My  ague  and  fever  returned,  with  such 
a  head-ache  that  I  was  almost  frantic.  Again  and  again 
I  said  to  myself,  '  Let  patience  have  her  perfect  work ;' 
and  kept  pleading  the  promises,  '  When  thou  passest 
through  the  waters,  I  will  be  with  thee,'  &c.  and  the 
Lord  did  not  withhold  his  presence.  I  endeavored  to 
repel  all  the  disordered  thoughts  that  the  fever  occa- 
sioned, and  to  keep  in  mind  that  all  was  friendly;  a 
friendly  Lord  presiding,  and  nothing  exercising  me 
but  what  would  show  itself  at  last  friendly.  A  violent 
perspiration  at  last  relieved  the  acute  pain  in  my  head, 
and  my  heart  rejoiced;  but  as  soon  as  that  was  over, 
the  exhaustion  it  occasioned,  added  to  the  fatigue  from 
the  pain,  left  me  in  as  low  a  state  of  depression  as  ever 
I  was  in.    I  seemed  about  to  sink  into  a  long  fainting 


400  MEMOIR  OF 

fit,  and  I  almost  wished  it;  but  at  this  moment,  a  little 
after  midnight,  I  was  summoned  to  mount  my  horse, 
and  set  out,  rather  dead  than  alive.  We  moved  on  six 
parasangs.    We  had  a  thunder-storm  with  hail." 

July  1. — "  A  long  and  tiresome  march  to  Sarehund  ; 
in  seven  parasangs  there  was  no  village.  They  had 
nothing  to  sell  but  buttermilk  and  bread ;  but  a  ser- 
vant of  Abbas  Mirza  happening  to  be  at  the  same  cara- 
vansera,  sent  us  some  flesh  of  a  mountain-cow,  which 
he  had  shot  the  day  before.  All  day  I  had  scarcely 
the  right  recollection  of  myself,  from  the  violence  of 
the  ague.  We  have  now  reached  the  end  of  the  level 
ground,  which  we  have  had  all  the  way  from  Tehran, 
and  are  approaching  the  boundaries  of  Parthia  and  Me- 
dia ;  a  most  natural  boundary  it  is,  as  the  two  ridges  of 
mountains  we  have  had  on  the  left  and  right,  com© 
round  and  form  a  barrier." 

July  2. — "  At  two  in  the  morning  we  set  out.  I  hardly 
know  when  I  have  been  so  disordered.  I  had  little  or 
no  recollection  of  things,  and  what  I  did  remember,  ai 
times,  of  happy  scenes  in  India  or  England,  served 
only  to  embitter  my  present  situation.  Soon  after  re- 
moving into  the  air,  I  was  seized  with  a  violent  ague, 
and  in  this  state  I  went  on  till  sunrise.  At  three  para- 
sangs and  a  half  we  found  a  fine  caravansera,  appa- 
rently very  little  used,  as  the  grass  was  growing  in  the 
court.  There  was  nothing  all  round  but  the  barren 
rocks,  which  generally  roughen  the  country  before  the 
mountain  rears  its  height.  Such  an  edifice,  in  such  a 
situation,  was  cheering.  Soon  after,  we  came  to  a 
river,  over  which  was  a  high  bridge ;  I  sat  down  in  the 
shade  under  it,  with  two  camel-drivers.    The  cafiia,  as 


HENRY    MARTYN.  401 

it  happened,  forded  the  river,  and  passed  on,  without 

my  perceiving  it.   Mr.  C ,  seeing  no  signs  of  me, 

returned,  and  after  looking  about  for  some  time,  espied 
my  horse  grazing;  he  concluded  immediately  that  the 
horse  had  flung  me  from  the  bridge  into  the  river,  and 
was  almost  ready  to  give  me  up  for  lost.  My  speedy 
appearance  from  under  the  bridge  relieved  his  terror 
and  anxiety.  The  pass  was  a  mere  nothing  to  those 
at  Bushire  ;  in  fact,  it  was  no  part  of  the  mountain  we 
climbed,  but  only  a  few  hills.  In  a  natural  opening  in 
the  mountains,  on  the  other  side,  was  a  river,  with 
most  of  its  bed  dry;  and  over  it  a  bridge  of  many 
arches,  which  led  us  to  an  unwalled  village,  surrounded 
by  cornfields,  which  we  reached  at  ten  o'clock.  Half 
the  people  still  continue  ill ;  for  myself,  I  am,  through 
God's  infinite  mercy,  recovering." 

July  3. — "  Started  at  three,  full  three  hours  after  we 
ought,  and,  as  was  to  be  expected,  we  all  got  ill  again, 
from  being  exposed  to  the  sun  six  hours ;  for  we  did  not 
get  to  our  ground,  Turcoman,  till  eleven  o'clock.  It 
was  a  poor  village  among  the  hills,  over  which  our 
whole  way  lay  from  Minau.  Ascending  one,  and  de- 
scending another,  was  the  whole  of  the  variety,  so 
that  I  do  not  know  when  we  have  had  a  more  tire- 
some day." 

July  4. — "  1  so  far  prevailed  as  to  get  the  cafila  into 
motion  at  midnight.  Lost  our  way  in  the  night,  but 
arriving  at  a  village,  were  set  right  again.  At  eight 
came  to  Kilk  caravansera,  but  not  stopping  there,  went 
on  to  a  village,  where  we  arrived  at  half-past  nine. 
The  baggage  not  coming  up  till  long  after,  we  got  no 
breakfast  till  one  o'clock.  In  consequence  of  all  these 
34* 


402  MEMOIR   OP 

things,  want  of  sleep,  want  of  refreshment,  and  ex- 
posure to  the  sun,  I  was  presently  in  a  high  fever;  which 
raged  so  furiously  all  the  day,  that  I  was  nearly  de- 
lirious, and  it  was  some  time  before  I  could  get  the 
right  recollection  of  myself.  I  almost  despaired,  and 
do  now,  of  getting  alive  through  this  unfortunate  jour- 
ney. Last  night  I  felt  remarkably  well,  calm,  and 
composed,  and  sat  reflecting  on  my  heavenly  rest,  with 
more  sweetness  of  soul,  abstraction  from  the  world, 
and  solemn  views  of  God,  than  I  have  had  for  a  long 
time.  O  for  such  sacred  hours !  This  short  and  pain- 
ful life  would  scarcely  be  felt,  could  I  live  thus  at 
heaven's  gate.  It  being  impossible  to  continue  my 
journey  in  my  present  state,  and  one  of  the  servants 
also  being  so  ill  that  he  could  not  move  with  safety, 
we  determined  to  halt  one  day  at  the  village,  and  sent 
on  a  messenger  to  Sir  Gore,  at  Tebriz,  informing  him 
of  our  approach." 

July  5. — "  Slept  all  day,  and  at  sunset  prepared  to 
proceed  all  the  way  to  Tebriz,  or  at  least  to  Seid  Abad  ; 
but  we  did  not  set  out  till  one  in  the  morning.  I  was 
again  dreadfully  disordered  with  head-ache  and  fever. 
We  got  into  a  wretched  hovel,  where  the  raging  fever 
almost  deprived  me  of  reason.  In  the  cool  of  the  even- 
ing we  set  out  to  go  to  Seid  Abad,  distant  about  three 
parasangs.  When  the  cafila  arrived  near  Seid  Abad,  it 
was  a  dark  night,  about  eleven  o'clock,  and  not  one  of 
the  party  knew  where  it  was,  nor  could  we  discover  it 
by  the  barking  of  the  dogs,  the  usual  sign.  Once  we 
heard  the  bark,  and  made  sure  of  having  attained  our 
object ;  but  found  only  some  shepherds  keeping  watch 
over  their  flocks  by  night.    These  boors  showed  us 


HENRY   MARTYN.  403 

which  road  to  take,  which  we  soon  found  end  in  no- 
thing ;  so  returning,  we  tried  to  induce  one  of  them  to 
serve  as  a  guide,  with  the  promise  of  any  sum  of  mo- 
ney he  required— but  all  in  vain.  The  only  thing  that 
remained  to  be  done  was  to  lie  down  on  the  spot,  and 
wait  patiently  for  the  day:  which  I  did,  and  caught 
such  a  cold,  as,  with  all  our  other  exposures,  consum- 
mated my  disorders.  As  soon  as  it  was  day,  we  found 

our  way  to  the  village,  where  Dr. was  waiting  for 

us.  Not  being  able  to  stay  for  us,  he  went  on  to  Tebriz, 
and  we  as  far  as  Wasmuch,  where  he  promised  to  pro- 
cure for  us  a  fine  upper  room  furnished  ;  but  when  we 
arrived,  they  denied  that  there  was  any  such  place;  at 
last,  after  an  hour's  threatening,  we  got  admittance  to 
it.  An  hour  before  bieak  of  day  I  left  it,  in  hopes  of 
reaching  Tebriz  before  sunrise.  Some  of  the  people 
seemed  to  feel  compassion  for  me,  and  asked  me  if  I 
was  not  very  ill.  At  last  I  reached  the  gate,  and  feebly 
asked  for  a  man  to  show  me  the  way  to  the  ambas- 
sador's." 

By  a  fever  of  nearly  two  months' continuance,  which, 
during  the  greater  portion  of  that  period,  raged  with 
unremitting  severity,  Mr.  Marty n  was  defeated  in  his 
intention  of  presenting,  in  person,  his  translation  of  the 
New  Testament  to  the  king  of  Persia,  and  to  the  prince 
his  son.  His  disappointment,  however,  on  this  occa- 
sion, was  greatly  diminished  by  the  kindness  of  Sir 
Gore  Ouseley,  who,  together  with  his  lady,  was  ten- 
derly and  assiduously  attentive  to  Mr.  Martyn  through- 
out the  whole  of  his  illness;  and  who,  in  order  that 
nothing  might  be  wanting  conducive  to  the  favorable 


404  MEMOIR   OF 

acceptance  of  the  New  Testament  by  the  king,  pro- 
mised himself  to  present  it  at  court.* 

The  idea  of  returning  to  England,  which  first  occur- 
red to  Mr.  Martyn  at  Cawnpore,  was,  as  we  have  seen, 
instantly  abandoned  by  him,  on  its  appearing  to  be  the 
divine  will  that  he  should  visit  Persia.  After  accom- 
plishing his  great  object  in  that  country,  the  general 
state  of  his  health  seeming  to  him  to  render  the  mea- 
sure requisite,  he  reverted  to  his  original  intention ;  in 
the  prosecution  of  which  he  was  confirmed  by  his  long 
illness  at  Tebriz,  which  had  been  induced  by  exposure 
to  a  heated  atmosphere. 

Happy  would  it  have  been,  speaking  after  the  man- 
ner of  men,  had  he  been  less  precipitate  in  putting  his 
design  in  execution ;  but,  on  the  tenth  day  after  his  re- 
covery, he  commenced  his  journey.  What  he  felt  when 
deprived  of  health,  and  what  were  his  sensations  when 
in  a  considerable  degree  restored  to  it,  may  be  seen  in 
extracts  from  two  letters,  the  one  addressed  to  Mr. 
Simeon,  from  the  bed  of  suffering  ;  the  other  sent  to  a 
friend  exceedingly  beloved  by  him  in  Cornwall. 

"I  would  not  pain  your  heart,"  he  said  in  the  first, 
"but  we  who  are  in  Jesus  have  the  privilege  of  view- 
ing life  and  death  as  nearly  the  same,  since  both  are 
ours  ;  and  I  thank  a  gracious  Lord  that  sickness  never 
came  at  a  time  when  I  was  more  free  from  apparent 
reasons  for  living.    Nothing,  seemingly,  remains  for 

*  Sir  Gore  Ouseley,  according  to  his  promise,  laid  the  New 
Testament  before  the  king,  who  publicly  expressed  his  appro- 
bation of  the  work.  He  also  carried  the  MS.  to  St.  Petersburg, 
where,  under  his  superintendence,  it  was  printed  and  put  into 
circulation. 


HENRY    MARTYN.  405 

me  to  do,  but  to  follow  the  rest  of  my  family  to  the 
tomb." 

"  It  has  pleased  God,"  he  wrote  in  the  second,  "to 
restore  me  lo  life  and  health  again :  not  that  I  have 
yet  recovered  my  former  strength,  but  I  consider 
myself  sufficiently  restored  to  prosecute  my  journey. 
My  daily  prayer  is,  that  my  late  chastisement  may 
have  its  intended  effect,  and  make  me,  all  the  rest  of 
my  days  more  humble  and  less  self-confident.  Self- 
confidence  has  often  let  me  down  fearful  lengths  ;  and 
would,  without  God's  gracious  interference,  prove  my 
endless  perdition.  I  seem  to  be  made  to  feel  this  evil 
of  my  heart  more  than  any  other  at  this  time.  In 
prayer,  or  when  I  write  or  converse  on  the  subject, 
Christ  appears  to  me  my  life  and  strength ;  but  at 
other  times  I  am  thoughtless  and  bold,  as  if  I  had  all 
life  and  strength  in  myself.  Such  neglects  on  our 
part,  are  a  diminution  of  our  joys;  but  the  Covenant ! 
the  Covenant  stands  fast  with  Him  for  his  people  ever- 
more. I  mentioned  my  conversing  sometimes  on  di- 
vine subjects.  In  these  I  am  sometimes  led  on  by  the 
Soofie  Persians,  and  tell  them  all  I  know  of  the  very 
recesses  of  the  sanctuary.  But  to  give  an  account  of 
all  my  discussions  with  these  mystic  philosophers 
must  be  reserved  to  the  time  of  our  meeting.  Do  I 
dream  !  that  I  venture  to  think  and  write  of  such  an 
event  as  that  ?  Is  it  possible  that  we  shall  ever  meet 
again  below  ?  Though  it  is  possible,  I  dare  not  indulge 
such  a  pleasing  hope. 

u  In  three  days  I  intend  setting  my  horse's  head  to- 
ward* Constantinople,  distant  about  one  thousand 
three  hundred  miles.    Nothing.  I  think,  will  occasion 


405  me:,ioir  op 

any  further  detention  here,  if  I  can  procure  servants 
who  know  both  Persian  and  Turkish.  Ignorant  as  I 
am  of  Turkish,  should  I  be  taken  ill  on  the  road,  my 
case  would  be  pitiable  indeed.  The  ambassador  and 
his  suite  are  still  here  ;  his  and  Lady  Ouseley's  atten- 
tions to  me  during  my  illness,  have  been  unremitted. 
The  Prince  Abbas  Mirza,  the  wisest  of  the  king's  sons, 
and  heir  to  the  throne,  was  here  some  time  after  my 
arrival.  I  much  wished  to  present  a  copy  of  the  Per- 
sian New  Testament  to  him,  but  I  could  not  rise  from 
my  bed.  The  book,  however,  will  be  given  him  by  the 
ambassador.  Public  curiosity  about  the  Gospel,  now 
for  the  first  time,  in  the  memory  of  the  modern  Per- 
sians, introduced  into  the  country,  is  a  good  deal  ex- 
cited here  and  at  Shiraz,  and  in  other  places  ;  so  that, 
upon  the  whole,  I  am  thankful  for  having  been  led 
hither,  and  detained;  though  my  residence  in  this 
country  has  been  attended  with  many  unpleasant  cir- 
cumstances. The  way  of  the  kings  of  the  east  is  pre- 
paring: thus  much  may  be  said  with  safety,  but  little 
more.  The  Persians  will  also  probably  take  the  lead 
in  the  march  to  Zion." 


HENRY   MARTY X.  407 


CHAPTER   XI. 

MR.  MARTYN  COMMENCES  HIS  JOURNEY  HOMEWARDS,  BY  WAY  OP 
CONSTANTINOPLE — VISITS  ECHMIADZIN — SUFFERS  FROM  FEVER 
— DIES,  AT  TOCAT,  IN  PERSIA — VIEW  OP  HIS  CHARACTER — 
CONCLUSION. 

With  such  feeble  hopes  of  reaching  England,  Mr. 
Marty n  commenced  a  journey  which  was  the  most 
painful,  and  at  the  same  time  the  most  joyful  one  he 
ever  undertook.  The  miseries  he  endured  in  it  were 
intense  ;  but  it  ended  in  heaven. 

Sept.  2. — "All  things  being  ready,"  he  says,  "  I  set 
out  on  my  long  journey  of  one  thousand  three  hun- 
dred miles,  carrying  letters  from  Sir  G.  Ouseley,  for 
the  governors  of  Erivan,  Cars,  and  Erzeroom,  and  the 
ambassador  at  Constantinople.  My  party  consisted  of 
two  Armenian  servants,  Antoine,  the  groom,  and  Ser- 
gius,  who  wras  to  accompany  me  all  the  way  to  Con- 
stantinople, he  professing  to  speak  Persian  and  Turk- 
ish, and  to  be  qualified  to  act  as  my  interpreter;  but 
his  knowledge  of  the  former  I  soon  found  to  be  rather 
scanty.  These  were  mounted,  and  two  other  horses 
carried  my  luggage;  my  Mihmander  had  also  Chap- 
par*  horses;  and  I  rode  my  own;  there  was  also  a 
man  on  foot,  to  bring  back  the  cattle.  As  we  passed 
through  the  bazars  of  Tebriz,  I  saw  quantities  of  the 
finest  fruit  displayed  on  every  stand.    At  sunset  we 

*  Mr.  Martyn,  through  the  friendly  interference  of  the  am- 
bassador, traveled  with  what  are  termed  Chappar  Horses; 
for  an  account  of  which  see  Burder's  Oriental  Customs,  p.  260. 


408  MEMOIR  OF 

left  the  western  gate  of  Tebriz  behind  us.  The  horses 
proved  to  be  sorry  animals;  one  sunk  so  often  under 
his  load  that  we  were  six  hours  going  what  the  Mih.- 
mander  called  two  parasangs,  but  which  was  undoubt- 
edly three  or  four.  It  was  midnight  before  we  arrived 
at  Sangla,  a  village  in  the  middle  of  the  plain  of  Tebriz. 
There  they  procured  me  a  place  in  the  Zabit's  house. 
I  slept  till  after  sunrise  of  the  third,  and  did  not 
choose  to  proceed  at  such  an  hour;  so  I  passed  most 
of  the  day  in  my  room.  At  three  in  the  afternoon  pro- 
ceeded towards  Sofian.  My  health  being  again  re- 
stored, through  infinite  and  unbounded  mercy,  I  was 
able  to  look  round  the  creation  with  calm  delight. 
The  plain  of  Tebriz,  towards  the  west  and  south-west, 
stretches  away  to  an  immense  distance,  and  is  bound- 
ed in  these  directions  by  mountains  so  remote  as  to 
appear,  from  their  soft  blue,  to  blend  with  the  skies. 
The  baggage  having  been  sent  on  before,  I  ambled  on 
with  my  Mihmander,  looking  all  around  me,  and  es- 
pecially towards  the  distant  hills,  with  gratitude  and 
joy.  O !  it  is  necessary  to  have  been  confined  to  a  bed 
of  sickness,  to  know  the  delight  of  moving  freely 
through  the  works  of  God,  with  the  senses  left  at  li- 
berty to  enjoy  their  proper  objects.  My  attendant  not 
being  very  conversant  with  Persian,  we  rode  silently 
along:  for  my  part,  I  could  not  have  enjoyed  any 
companion  so  much  as  I  did  my  own  feelings.  At 
sunset  we  reached  Sofian,  a  village  with  gardens,  at 
the  north-west  end  of  the  plain  ;  which  is  usually  the 
first  stage  from  Tebriz.  The  Zabit  was  in  his  corn- 
field, under  a  little  tent,  inspecting  his  laborers,  who 
were  cutting  the  straw  fine,  so  as  to  be  fit  to  be  eaten 


I1E.NRY   BiAffTYN.  409 

by  catlie  ;  this  was  done  by  drawing  over  it  a  cylin- 
der armed  with  blades  of  a  triangular  form,  placed  in 
different  planes,  so  that  their  vertices  should  coincide 
in  the  cylinder. 

"  The  Zabit  paid  me  no  attention,  but  sent  a  man  to 
show  me  a  place  to  sleep  in,  who  look  me  to  one  with 
only  three  walls.  I  demanded  another  with  four,  and 
was  accordingly  conducted  to  a  weaver's,  where,  not- 
withstanding the  musquetoes,  and  other  vermin,  I 
passed  the  night  comfortably  enough.  On  my  offering 
money,  the  Mihmander  interfered,  and  said  that  if  it 
were  known  that  I  had  given  money,  he  should  be 
ruined;  and  added— 'they,  indeed,  dare  not  take  it; 
but  this  I  did  not  find  to  be  the  case." 

Sept.  4.—"  At  sunrise  mounted  my  horse,  and  pro- 
ceeded north-west,  through  a  pass  in  the  mountains, 
towards  Merend.  By  the  way,  I  sat  down  by  the  brook, 
and  there  ate  my  bread  and  raisins,  and  drank  of  the 
crystal  stream  ;  but  either  the  coldness  of  this  unusual 
breakfast,  or  the  riding  after  it,  did  not  at  all  agree 
with  me.  The  heat  oppressed  me  much,  and  the  road 
seemed  intolerably  tedious;  at  last  we  got  out  from 
among  the  mountains,  and  saw  the  village  of  Merend, 
in  a  fine  valley  on  the  right.  It  was  about  eleven 
o'clock  when  we  reached  it.  As  the  Mihmander  could 
not  immediately  find  a  place  to  put  me  in,  we  had  a 
complete  view  of  this  village.  They  stared  at  my  Eu- 
ropean dress,  but  no  disrespect  was  shown.    I  was 

deposited,  at  last,  with Khan,  who  was  seated  in 

a  place  with  three  walls.    Not  at  all  disposed  to  pass 

the  day  in  company,  as  well  as  exposed,  I  asked  for 

another  room  ;  on  which  I  was  shown  to  the  stable, 

35 


410  MEMOIR   OF 

where  there  was  a  litlle  place  partitioned  off,  but.  so  as 
to  admit  a  view  of  the  horses.  The  smell  of  the  stable, 
though  not  in  general  disagreeable  to  me,  was  so 
strong,  that  I  was  quite  unwell,  and  strangely  dispi- 
rited and  melancholy.  Immediately  after  dinner  I  fell 
fast  asleep,  and  slept  four  hours  ;  after  which  I  rose 
and  ordered  them  to  prepare  for  the  next  journey.  The 
horses  being  changed  here,  it  was  some  time  before 
they  were  brought,  but,  by  exerting  myself,  we  moved 
off  by  midnight.  It  was  a  most  mild  and  delightful 
night,  and  the  pure  air,  after  the  smell  of  the  stable, 
was  quite  reviving.  For  once,  also,  I  traveled  all  the 
way  without  being  sleepy;  and  beguiled  the  hours  of 
the  night  by  thinking  of  the  14th  Psalm,  especially  the 
connection  of  the  last  three  verses  with  the  preceding." 
Sept.  5. — "In  five  hours  we  were  just  on  the  hills 
which  face  the  pass  out  of  the  valley  of  Merend,  and 
in  four  hours  and  a  half  more,  emerged  from  between 
the  two  ridges  of  mountains  into  the  valley  of  Gurjur. 
Gurjur  is  eight  parasangs  from  Merend,  and  our  course 
to  it  was  nearly  due  north.  This  long  march  was  far 
from  being  a  fatiguing  one.  The  air,  the  road,  and  my 
spirits  were  good.  Here  I  was  well  accommodated, 
but  had  to  mourn  over  my  impatient  temper  towards 
my  servants  ;  there  is  nothing  that  disturbs  my  peace 
so  much.  How  much  more  noble  and  godlike  to  bear 
with  calmness,  and  observe  with  pity,  rather  than  an- 
ger, the  failings  and  offences  of  others.  O  that  I  may, 
through  grace,  be  enabled  to  recollect  myself  in  the 
time  of  temptation !  O  that  the  Spirit  of  God  may 
check  my  folly,  and,  at  such  times,  bring  the  lowly 
Savior  to  my  view." 


HENRY    MAHTYN.  412 

Sept.  6. — "Soon  after  twelve  we  started  with  fresh 
horses,  and  came  to  the  Aras,  or  Araxes,  distant  two 
parasangs,  and  about  as  broad  as  the  Isis,  with  a  cur- 
rent as  strong  as  that  of  the  Ganges.  The  ferry-boat 
being  on  the  other  side,  I  lay  down  to  sleep  till  it  came, 
but  observing  my  servants  do  the  same,  I  was  obliged 
to  get  up  and  exert  myself.  It  dawned,  however,  be- 
fore we  got  over.  The  boat  was  a  huge  fabric,  in  the 
form  of  a  rhombus.  The  ferryman  had  only  a  stick 
to  push  with  ;  an  oar,  I  dare  say,  he  had  never  seen 
or  heard  of,  and  many  of  my  train  had  probably  never 
floated  before  ;  so  alien  is  a  Persian  from  every  thing 
that  belongs  to  shipping.  We  landed  safely  on  the 
other  side  in  about  two  minutes.  We  were  four  hours 
in  reaching  Nakhehevan,  and  for  half  an  hour  more  I 
was  led  from  street  to  street,  till  at  last  I  was  lodged  in 
a  wash-house  belonging  to  a  great  man,  a  corner  of 
which  was  cleaned  out  for  me.  It  was  near  noon,  and. 
my  baggage  was  not  arrived  ;  so  that  I  was  obliged  to 
go  without  my  breakfast,  which  was  hard,  after  a  ride 
for  four  hours  in  the  sun.  The  baggage  was  delayed 
so  long  that  I  began  to  fear ;  at  last,  however,  it  ar- 
rived. All  the  afternoon  I  slept,  and  at  sunset  arose, 
and  continued  wakeful  till  midnight,  when  I  roused 
my  people,  and  with  fresh  horses  set  out  again.  We 
traveled  till  sunrise.  I  scarcely  perceived  that  we  had 
been  moving — a  Hebrew  word  in  the  16th  Psalm  hav- 
ing led  me  gradually  into  speculations  on  the  eighth 
conjugation  of  the  Arabic  verb.  I  am  glad  my  philo- 
logical curiosity  is  revived,  as  my  mind  will  be  less 
liable  to  idleness/' 

Sept.  7. — c;  Arrived  at  Khoik,  a  poor  village,  distant 


412  MEMOIR    OF 

five  and  a  half  parasangs  from  Nakhehevan,  nearly 
west.  I  should  have  mentioned,  that  on  descending 
into  the  plain  of  Nakhehevan,  my  attention  was  ar- 
rested by  the  appearance  of  a  hoary  mountain,  oppo- 
site to  us  at  the  other  end,  rising  so  high  above  the 
rest  that  they  sunk  into  insignificance.  It  was  truly 
sublime,  and  the  interest  it  excited  was  not  lessened, 
when,  on  inquiring  its  name,  I  was  told  it  was  Agri,  or 
Ararat.  Thus  I  saw  two  remarkable  objects  in  one 
day,  the  Araxes  and  Ararat.  At  four  in  the  afternoon 
we  set  out  for  Sharoor.  The  evening  was  pleasant; 
the  ground  over  which  we  passed  was  full  of  rich  cul- 
tivation and  verdure,  watered  by  many  a  stream,  and 
containing  forty  villages,  most  of  them  with  the  usual 
appendage  of  gardens.  To  add  to  the  scene,  the  great 
Ararat  was  on  our  left.  On  the  peak  of  that  hill  the 
whole  church  was  once  contained  :  it  has  now  spread 
far  and  wide,  even  to  the  ends  of  the  earth,  but  the 
ancient  vicinity  of  it  knows  it  no  more.  I  fancied 
many  a  spot  where  Noah,  perhaps,  offered  his  sa- 
crifices; and  the  promise  of  God,  'that  seed-time 
and  harvest  should  not  cease,'  appeared  to  me  to  be 
more  exactly  fulfilled  in  the  agreeable  plain  in  which 
it  was  spoken  than  elsewhere,  as  I  had  not  seen  such 
fertility  in  any  part  of  the  Shah's  dominions.  Here 
the  blessed  saint  landed  in  a  new  world ;  so  may  I, 
safe  in  Christ,  outride  the  storm  of  life,  and  land  at  last 
on  one  of  the  everlasting  hills  ! 

"  Night  coming  on,  we  lost  our  wa)%  and  got  inter- 
cepted by  some  deep  ravines,  into  one  of  which  the 
horse  that  carried  my  trunks  sunk  so  deep  that  the 
water  got  into  one  of  them,  wetted  the  linen,  and  spoil- 


HENRY   MARTYX.  413 

ed  some  books.  Finding  it  in  vain  to  attempt  gaining 
our  munzil,  we  went  to  another  village,  where,  after  a 
long  delay,  two  aged  men  with  silver  beards  opened 
their  house  to  us.  Though  it  was  near  midnight,  I  had 
a  fire  lighted  to  dry  my  books,  took  some  coffee,  and 
sunk  into  deep  sleep ;  from  which  awaking  at  the 
earliest  dawn  of 

Sept.  8. — "I  roused  the  people,  and  had  a  delightful 
ride  of  one  parasang  to  Sharoor,  distant  four  parasangs 
from  Khoik.  Here  I  was  accommodated  by  the  great 
man  with  a  stable,  or  winter  room,  for  they  build  it  in 
such  a  strange  vicinity,  in  order  to  have  it  warm  in 
winter.  At  present,  while  the  weather  is  still  hot,  the 
smell  is  at  times  overpowering.  At  eleven  at  night  we 
moved  off,  with  fresh  horses,  for  Duwala;  but  though 
we  had  guides  in  abundance,  we  were  not  able  to  ex- 
tricate ourselves  from  the  ravines  with  which  this  vil- 
lage is  surrounded.  Procuring  another  man  from  a 
village  we  happened  to  wander  into,  we  at  last  made 
our  way,  through  grass  and  mire,  to  the  pass,  which 
led  us  to  a  country  as  dry  as  the  one  we  had  left  was 
wet.  Ararat  was  now  quite  near  :  at  the  foot  of  it  is 
Duwala,  six  parasangs  from  Nakhehevan,  where  we 
arrived  at  seven  in  the  morning  of 

Sept.  9. — "  As  I  had  been  thinking  all  night  of  a  He- 
brew letter,  I  perceived  little  of  the  tediousness  of  the 
way.  I  tried  also  some  difficulties  in  the  16th  Psalm, 
without  being  able  to  master  them.  All  day  on  the 
15th  and  16th  Psalm,  and  gained  some  light  into  the 
difficulties.  The  villagers  not  bringing  the  horses  in 
time,  we  were  not  able  to  go  on  at  night ;  but  I  was 
not  much  concerned,  as  I  thereby  gained  some  rest/' 


414  MEMOIR    OF 

Sept.  10. — "All  day  at  the  village,  writing  down 
notes  on  the  15th  and  lGth  Psalm.  Moved  at  midnight 
and  arrived  early  in  the  morning  at  Erivan." 

Sept.  11. — "  I  alighted  at  Hosyn  Khan,  the  gover- 
nor's palace,  as  it  may  be  called,  for  he  seems  to  live 
in  a  style  equal  to  that  of  a  prince.  Indeed,  command- 
ing a  fortress  on  the  frontier,  within  six  hours  of  the 
Russians,  he  is  intrusted  with  a  considerable  force, 
and  is  nearly  independent  of  the  Shah.  After  sleeping 
two  hours,  I  was  summoned  to  his  presence.  He  at 
first  took  no  notice  of  me,  but  continued  reading  his 
Koran,  it  being  the  Mohurrun.  After  a  compliment  or 
two,  he  resumed  his  devotions.  The  next  ceremony 
was  to  exchange  a  rich  shawl  dress  for  a  still  richer 
pelisse,  on  pretence  of  its  being  cold.  The  next  display 
was  to  call  for  his  physician,  who,  after  respectfully 
feeling  his  pulse,  stood  on  one  side:  this  was  to  show 
that  he  had  a  domestic  physician.  His  servants  were 
most  richly  clad.  My  letter  from  the  ambassador, 
which  till  now  had  lain  neglected  on  the  ground,  was 
opened  and  read  by  a  Moonshee.  He  heard  with  great 
interest  what  Sir  Gore  had  written  about  the  transla- 
tion of  the  Gospels.  After  this  he  was  very  kind  and 
attentive,  and  sent  for  Lieutenant  M of  the  engi- 
neers, who  was  stationed,  with  two  Serjeants,  at  this 
fort.  In  the  afternoon,  the  governor  sent  for  me  again 
in  private.  A  fountain,  in  a  basin  of  white  marble,  was 
playing  before  him,  and  in  it  water  grapes  and  melons 
were  cooling  ;  two  time-pieces  were  before  him,  to 
show  the  approach  of  the  time  of  lawful  repast:  be- 
low the  window,  at  a  great  depth,  ran  a  broad  and 
rapid  stream,  over  rocks  and  stones,  under  a  bridge  of 


HENRY    MARTYN.  415 

two  arches,  producing  an  agreeable  murmur:  on  the 
other  side  of  the  river  were  gardens,  and  a  rich  plain  ; 
and  directly  in  front,  Ararat.  He  was  now  entirely 
free  from  ceremony,  but  too  much  fatigued  to  con- 
verse. I  tried  to  begin  a  religious  discussion,  by  ob- 
serving that  '  he  was  in  one  paradise  now,  and  was  in 
quest  of  another  hereafter  ;'  but  this  remark  produced 
no  effect.  He  ordered  for  me  a  Mihmander,  a  guard 
and  four  horses,  with   which  a  Turk  had  just  come 

from  Cars.   Lieut.  M dined  and  passed  the  rest  of 

the  evening  with  us." 

Sept.  12. — "  The  horses  not  being  ready  for  me  ac- 
cording to  my  order,  I  rode  alone,  and  found  my  way 
to  Echmiadzin  (or  Three  Churches)  two  and  a  half 
parasangs  distant.  Directing  my  course  to  the  largest 
church,  I  found  it  enclosed  by  some  other  buildings 
and  a  wall.  Within  the  entrance  I  found  a  large  court, 
with  monks,  cowled  and  gowned,  moving  about.  On 
seeing  my  Armenian  letters,  they  brought  me  to  the 
patriarch's  lodge,  where  I  found  two  Bishops,  one  of 
whom  was  Nerses,  at  breakfast  on  pilaws,  kubebs, 
wine,  arrack,  &c.  and  Serafino  with  them.  As  he 
spoke  English,  French,  and  Italian,  I  had  no  difficulty 
in  communicating  with  my  hosts.  After  breakfast,  Se- 
rafino showed  me  the  room  appointed  for  me,  and  sat 
down  and  told  me  his  story.  His  proper  name,  in  Ar- 
menian, is  Serope ;  he  was  born  at  Erzeroom,  of  Ar- 
menian Roman  Catholic  parents.  His  father  dying 
when  he  was  young,  his  mother  intrusted  him  to  the 
care  of  the  missionaries,  to  be  carried  to  Rome  to  be 
educated.  There  he  studied  eight  years,  and  became 
perfectly  Europeanized.   At  eighteen  or  twenty  he  left 


416  MEMOIR    OF 

Rome,  and  repaired  to  Mount  Libanus,  where  he  was 
ordained ;  and  there  his  eyes  were  opened  to  the 
falsehood  of  the  Pope's  pretensions.  After  this  he 
served  the  Armenian  church  at  Erzeroom,  and  then 
at  Cars,  after  which  lie  went  to  Bagdad.  Receiving  at 
this  time  an  invitation  from  the  patriarch  at  Echmiad- 
zin, to  join  their  body,  he  consented,  on  condition  that 
he  should  not  be  considered  as  a  common  monk  ;  and 
accordingly  he  is  regarded  with  that  deference  which 
his  talents  and  superior  information  demand.  He  is  ex- 
erting himself  to  extend  his  influence  in  the  monas- 
tery, for  the  purpose  of  executing  some  plans  he  has 
formed  for  the  improvement  of  the  Armenians.  The 
monastery,  and  consequently  the  whole  of  the  Arme- 
nians, are  under  the  direction  of  Nerses,  one  of  the 
bishops ;  for  the  patriarch  Ephraim  is  a  mere  cypher, 
and  passes  most  of  his  time  in  bed.  About  three  years 
ago  Nerses  succeeded  in  forming  a  synod  for  the  ma- 
nagement of  the  business  of  the  church,  consisting  of 
eight  bishops,  in  which,  of  course,  he  is  all-powerful. 
The  patriarch  is  elected  by  twelve  bishops.  One  mem- 
ber alone  of  the  synod  is  a  man  of  any  ability,  and  he 
sometimes  ventures  to  differ  from  Nerses.  The  object 
which  Serope  has  at  heart,  is  a  college,  to  teach  the 
Armenian  youth  logic,  rhetoric,  and  the  other  sciences. 
The  expediency  of  this  is  acknowledged,  but  they  can- 
not agree  about  the  place  where  the  college  should  be. 
Serope,  considering  the  danger  to  which  the  cathedral 
seat  is  exposed,  from  its  situation  between  Russia, 
Persia,  and  Turkey,  is  for  building  it  at  Teflis.  Nerses, 
on  the  contrary,  considering  that  Echmiadzin  is  the 
spot  appointed  by  heaven,  according  to  a  vision  of 


HENRY    MARTYN. 


417 


Oregory,  for  the  cathedral  seat,  and  so  sanctified,  is 
for  having  it  there.  The  errors  and  superstitions  of 
his  people  were  the  subject  of  Serope's  conversation 
for  the  whole  morning,  and  seemed  to  be  the  occasion 
of  real  grief  to  him.  He  intended,  he  said,  after  a  few 
more  months'  trial  of  what  he  could  do  here,  to  retire 
to  India,  and  then  write  and  print  some  works  in  Ar- 
menian, tending  to  enlighten  the  people  with  regard 
to  religion,  in  order  to  introduce  a  reform.  I  said  all  I 
could  to  encourage  him  in  such  a  blessed  work;  pro- 
mising him  every  aid  from  the  English,  and  proving 
to  him,  from  the  example  of  Luther  and  the  other  Eu- 
ropean Reformers,  that,  however  arduous  the  work 
might  seem,  God  would  surely  be  with  him  to  help 
him.  I  mentioned  the  awful  neglect  of  the  Armenian 
clergy,  in  never  preaching  ;  as  thereby  the  glad  ti- 
dings of  a  Savior  were  never  proclaimed.  He  made  no 
reply  to  this,  but  that  'it  was  to  be  lamented,  as  the 
people  were  never  called  away  from  vice.'  When  the 
bell  rang  for  vespers,  we  went  together  to  the  great 
church.  The  ecclesiastics,  consisting  of  ten  bishops 
and  other  monks,  with  the  choristers,  were  drawn  up 
in  a  semicircle  fronting  the  altar,  for  a  view  of  which 
the  church  door  was  left  open.  Serope  fell  into  his 
place,  and  went  through  a  few  of  the  ceremonies;  he 
then  took  me  into  the  church,  never  ceasing  to  remark 
upon  the  ignorance  and  superstition  of  the  people. 
Some  of  his  Catholic  prejudices  against  Luther  seem- 
ed to  remain.  The  monks  dined  together  in  the  hall  at 
eleven;  at  night,  each  sups  in  his  own  room.  Serope, 
Nerses,  and  two  or  three  others,  form  a  party  them- 
selves, and  seldom  dine  in  the  hall,  where  coarseness, 
both  of  meals  and  manners,  too  much  prevails." 


418  MEMOIR  or 

Sept.  13. — "  I  asked  Serope  about  the  16th  Psalm  in 
the  Armenian  version ;  he  translated  it  into  correct 
Latin.  In  the  afternoon  I  waited  on  the  patriarch;  it 
was  a  visit  of  great  ceremony.  He  was  reclining  on  a 
sort  of  throne,  placed  in  the  middle  of  the  room.  All 
stood,  except  the  two  senior  bishops;  a  chair  was  set 
for  me  on  the  other  side,  close  to  the  patriarch  ;  at  my 
right  hand  stood  Serope,  to  interpret.  The  patriarch 
had  a  dignified,  rather  than  a  venerable  appearance. 
His  conversation  consisted  in  protestations  of  sincere 
attachment,  in  expressions  of  his  hopes  of  deliverance 
from  the  Mohammedan  yoke,  and  inquiries  about  my 
translations  of  the  Scriptures;  and  he  begged  me  to 
consider  myself  as  at  home  in  the  monastery.  Indeed, 
their  attention  and  kindness  are  unbounded.  Nerses 
and  Serope  anticipate  my  every  wish.  I  told  the  pa- 
triarch that  I  was  so  happy  in  being  here,  that,  did 
duty  permit,  I  could  almost  be  willing  to  become  a 
monk  with  them.  He  smiled,  and  fearing,  perhaps, 
that  I  was  in  earnest,  said  that  they  had  quite  enough. 
Their  number  is  a  hundred,  I  think.  The  church  was 
immensely  rich  till  about  ten  years  ago,  when,  by 
quarrels  between  two  contending  patriarchs,  one  of 
whom  is  still  in  the  monastery  in  disgrace,  most  of 
their  money  was  expended  in  referring  their  disputes 
to  the  Mohammedans  as  arbitrators.  There  is  no  diffi- 
culty, however,  in  replenishing  their  coffers:  their 
merchants  in  India  are  entirely  at  their  command." 

Sept,  15. — "  Spent  the  day  in  preparing,  with  Serope, 
for  the  mode  of  traveling  in  Turkey.  All  my  heavy 
and  expensive  preparations  at  Tebriz  prove  to  be  in- 
cumbrances, which  must  be  left  behind  :  my  trunks 


IJEMvY    MARTY N.  419 

were  exchanged  for  bags ;  and  my  portable  table  and 
chair,  several  books,  large  supplies  of  sugar,  &c.  were 
condemned  to  be  left  behind.  My  humble  equipments 
were  considered  as  too  mean  for  an  English  gentle- 
man ;  so  Serope  gave  me  an  English  bridle  and  saddle. 
The  roads  in  Turkey  being  much  more  infested  with 
robbers  than  those  of  Persia,  a  sword  was  brought  for 
me.  My  Armenian  servant,  Sergius,  was  also  to  be 
armed  with  a  gun  and  sword,  but  it  was  determined 
that  he  was  unfit  for  the  journey  ;  so  a  brave  and 
trusty  man  of  the  monastery,  named  Melcom,  was  ap- 
pointed in  his  stead,  and  he  had  arms  of  his  own  ;  he 
speaks  nothing  but  Turkish." 

Sept.  16. — "I  conversed  again  with  Serope  on  his 
projected  reformation.  As  he  was  invited  to  Echmi- 
adzin for  the  purpose  of  educating  the  Armenian  youth 
for  the  ministry,  he  has  a  right  to  dictate  in  all  that 
concerns  that  matter.  His  objection  to  Echmiadzin  is, 
that  from  midnight  to  sunrise  all  the  members  of  the 
monastery  must  attend  prayers  ;  this  requires  all  to  be 
in  bed  immediately  after  sunset.  The  monks  are  chiefly 
from  the  neighborhood  of  Erivan,  and  were  originally 
singing-boys ;  into  such  hands  is  this  rich  and  power- 
ful foundation  fallen.  They  have  no  vows  upon  them 
but  those  of  celibacy." 

The  hospitable  and  benevolent  conduct  of  the  inte- 
resting society  at  Echmiadzin*  made  a  deep  impres- 
sion upon  the  feeling  mind  of  their  guest ;  received  by 

*  For  the  interest  the  Armenians  excite  in  a  missionary  point 
of  view,  see  Dr.  Buchanan's  Christian  Researches. 


420  MEMOIR   OF 

them  as  a  brother}  he  left  them  with  sentiments  of  fra- 
ternal regard,  and  no  doubt  his  heart  swelled  with 
grateful  recollections  of  peculiar  strength,  when  the 
kindness  he  had  experienced  in  the  bosom  of  an  Ar- 
menian monastery  was  brought  into  contrast  with 
that  Mohammedan  inhospitality  and  cruelty  to  which 
in  a  short  time  he  was  subjected. 

uAt  six  in  the  morning  of  September  17,"  Mr.  Mar- 
tyn  writes,  "  accompanied  by  Serope,  one  bishop,  the 
secretary,  and  several  servants  of  the  monastery,  I  left 
Echmiadzin.  My  party  now  consisted  of  two  men 
from  the  governor  of  Erivan,  a  Mihmander,  and  a 
guard  ;  my  servant  Sergius,  for  whom  the  monks  in- 
terceded, as  he  had  some  business  at  Constantinople  } 
one  trusty  servant  from  the  monastery,  Melcom,  who 
carried  my  money ;  and  two  baggage-horses  with  their 
owners.  The  monks  soon  returned,  and  we  pursued 
our  way  over  the  plain  of  Ararat.  At  twelve  o'clock 
reached  Quila  Gazki,  about  six  parasangs  from  Ech- 
miadzin. The  Mihmander  rode  on,  and  got  a  good 
place  for  me." 

Sept.  18.—"  Rose  with  the  dawn,  in  hopes  of  going 
this  stage  before  breakfast,  but  the  horses  were  not 
ready.  I  set  off  at  eight,  fearing  no  sun,  though  I 
found  it  at  times  very  oppressive  when  there  was  no 
wind.  At  the  end  of  three  hours  we  left  the  plain  of 
Ararat,  the  last  of  the  plains  of  modern  Persia  in  this 
quarter.  Meeting  here  with  the  Araxes  again,  I  un- 
dressed and  plunged  into  the  stream.  While  hastening 
forward,  with  the  trusty  Melcom,  to  rejoin  my  party, 
we  were  overtaken  by  a  spearman,  with  a  lance  of 
formidable  length :  I  did  not  think  it  likely  that  one 


IlE^RY   MARTYK.  421 

man  would  venture  to  attack  two,  both  armed  ;  but  the 
spot  was  a  noted  one  for  robbers,  and  very  well  calcu- 
lated, by  its  solitariness,  for  deeds  of  privacy ;  how- 
ever, he  was  friendly  enough.  He  had,  however,  near- 
ly done  me  a  mischief.  On  the  bank  of  the  river  we 
sprung  a  covey  of  partridges:  instantly  he  laid  his 
lance  under  him  across  the  horse's  back,  and  fired  a 
horse-pistol  at  them.  His  horse  starting  at  the  report, 
came  upon  mine,  with  the  point  of  the  spear  directly 
towards  me,  so  that  I  thought  a  wound  for  myself  or 
horse  was  inevitable;  but  the  spear  passed  under  my 
horse.  We  were  to  have  gone  to  Hagi-Buhirem,  bui 
finding  the  head-man  of  it  at  a  village  a  few  furlongs 
nearer,  we  stopped  there.  We  found  him  in  a  shed 
outside  the  walls,  reading  his  Koran,  with  his  sword, 
gun,  and  pistol  by  his  side.  He  was  a  good-natured 
farmer-looking  man,  and  spoke  in  Persian.  He  chant- 
ed the  Arabic  with  great  readiness,  and  asked  me 
whether  I  knew  what  that  book  was.  '  Nothing  less 
than  the  great  Koran!'  " 

Sept.  19.—"  Left  the  village  at  seven  in  the  morn- 
ing, and  as  the  stage  was  reputed  to  be  very  dangerous, 
owing  to  the  vicinity  of  the  famous  Cara  Beg.  my  Mih- 
mander  took  three  armed  men  from  the  village  in  ad- 
dition to  the  one  we  brought  from  Erivan.  We  con- 
tinued going  along,  through  the  pass,  two  or  three  pa- 
rasangs,  and  crossed  the  Araxes  three  times.  We  then 
ascended  the  mountains  on  the  north,  by  a  road,  if  not 
so  steep,  yet  as  long  and  difficult  as  any  of  the  cotuls 
of  Bushire.  On  the  top  we  found  table-land,  along 
which  we  moved  many  a  tedious  mile,  expecting  every 
minute  that  we  should  have  a  view  of  a  fine  cham- 
30 


422  MEMOIR   OF 

paign  country  below ;  but  dale  followed  dale,  appa- 
rently in  endless  succession,  and  though  at  such  a 
height,  there  was  very  little  air  to  relieve  the  heat,  and 
nothing  to  be  seen  but  barren  rocks.  One  part,  how- 
ever, must  be  excepted,  where  the  prospect  opened  to 
the  north,  and  We  had  a  view  of  the  Russian  territory ; 
so  that  we  saw  at  once,  Persia,  Russia,  and  Turkey. 
At  length  we  came  to  an  Armenian  village,  situated  in 
a  hollow  of  these  mountains,  on  a  declivity.  The  vil- 
lage presented  a  singular  appearance,  being  filled  with 
conical  piles  of  peat,  for  they  have  no  fire-wood. 
Around,  there  was  a  great  deal  of  cultivation,  chiefly 
corn.  Most  of  the  low  land  from  Tebriz  to  this  place 
is  planted  with  cotton,  palma  Christi,  and  rice.  This 
is  the  first  village  in  Turkey ;  not  a  Persian  cap  was  to 
be  seen  ;  the  respectable  people  wore  a  red  Turkish 
cap.  The  great  man  of  the  village  paid  me  a  visit;  he 
was  a  young  Mussulman,  and  took  care  of  all  my  Mus- 
sulmen  attendants ;  but  he  left  me  and  my  Armenians 
where  he  found  us,  at  the  house  of  an  Armenian,  with- 
out offering  his  services.  I  was  rather  uncomfortably 
lodged,  my  room  being  a  thoroughfare  for  horses,  cows, 
buffaloes,  and  sheep.  Almost  all  the  village  came  to 
look  at  me.  The  name  of  this  village  is  Fivvick;  it  is 
distant  six  parasangs  from  the  last ;  but  we  were  eight 
hours  accomplishing  it,  and  a  cafila  would  have  been 
twelve.  We  arrived  at  three  o'clock  ;  both  horses  and 
men  much  fatigued." 

Sept.  20. — "  From  day-break  to  sunrise  I  walked, 
then  breakfasted,  and  set  out.  Our  course  lay  north, 
over  a  mountain  ;  and  here  danger  was  apprehended : 
it  was,  indeed,  dismally  solitary  all  around.   The  ap- 


HENRY    MARTYN.  423 

pearance  of  an  old  castle  on  the  top  of  a  crag  was  the 
first  Occasion  on  which  our  guard  got  their  pieces 
ready,  and  one  rode  forward  to  reconnoiter:  but  all 
there  was  as  silent  as  the  grave.  At  last,  after  travel- 
ing five  hours,  we  saw  some  men;  our  guard  again 
took  their  places  in  front.  Our  fears  were  soon  removed 
by  seeing  carts  and  oxen.  Not  so  the  opposite  party  ; 
for  my  baggage  was  so  small  as  not  to  be  easily  per- 
ceived. They  halted,  therefore,  at  the  bottom,  towards 
which  we  were  both  descending,  and  those  of  them 
who  had  guns  advanced  in  front  and  hailed  us.  We 
answered  peaceably;  but  they,  still  distrusting  us,  as 
we  advanced  nearer,  cocked  their  pieces  :  soon,  how- 
ever, we  came  to  a  parley.  They  were  Armenian?, 
bringing  wood  from  Cars  to  their  village  in  the  moun- 
tain :  they  were  hardy,  fine  young  men,  and  some  old 
men  who  were  with  them  were  particularly  venerable. 
The  dangerous  spots  being  passed  through,  my  party 
began  to  sport  with  their  horses  ;  galloping  across  the 
path,  brandishing  their  spears  or  sticks ;  they  darted 
them  just  at  the  moment  of  wheeling  round  their 
horses,  as  if  that  motion  gave  them  an  advantage.  It 
struck  me  that  this,  probably,  was  the  mode  of  fight- 
ing of  the  ancient  Parthians,  which  made  them  so  ter- 
rible in  flight.  Presently  after  these  gambols,  the  ap- 
pearance of  some  poor  countrymen  with  their  carts 
put  into  their  heads  another  kind  of  sport ;  for  know- 
ing, from  the  ill  fame  of  the  spot,  that  we  should  easily 
be  taken  for  robbers,  four  of  them  galloped  forward, 
and  by  the  time  we  reached  them,  one  of  the  carters 
was  opening  a  bag  10  give  them  something.  I  was.  of 
course,  very  much  displeased,  and  made  signs  to  him 


424  MEMOIR   OF 

not  to  do  iL  I  then  told  them  all,  as  we  quietly  pur 
sued  our  course,  that  such  kind  ol"  sport  was  ftot  al 
lowed  in  England  ;  they  said  it  was  the  Persian  cus- 
tom. We  arrived  at  length  at  Ghanikew,  having  rid- 
den six  hours  and  a  half  without  intermission.  The 
Mihmander  was  for  changing  his  route  continually, 
either  from  real  or  pretended  fear.  One  of  Cara  Beg's 
men  saw  me  at  the  village  last  night,  and  as  he  would 
probably  get  intelligence  of  my  intended  route,  it  was 
desirable  to  elude  him.  But,  after  all,  we  went  the 
shortest  way,  through  the  midst  of  danger,  if  there 
was  any,  and  a  gracious  Providence  kept  all  mischief 
at  a  distance.  Ghanikew  is  only  two  parasangs  from 
Cars,  but  I  stopped  there,  as  I  saw  it  was  more  agreea- 
ble to  the  people  ;  besides  which,  I  wished  to  have  a 
ride  before  breakfast.  I  was  lodged  in  a  stable-room, 
but  very  much  at  my  ease,  as  none  of  the  people  of  the 
village  could  come  at  me  without  passing  through  the 
house." 

Sept.  21. — "Rode  into  Cars.  Its  appearance  is  quite 
European,  not  only  at  a  distance,  but  within.  The 
houses  all  of  stone;  streets  with  carts  passing;  some 
of  the  houses  open  to  the  street ;  the  fort  on  an  un- 
commonly high  rock  ;  such  a  burying-ground  I  never 
saw  ;  there  must  be  thousands  of  grave-stones.  The 
Mihmander  carried  me  directly  to  the  governor,  who, 
having  just  finished  his  breakfast,  was,  of  course,  asleep, 
and  could  not  be  disturbed  ;  but  his  head-man  carried 
me  to  an  Armenian's  house,  with  orders  to  live  at  free 
quarters  there.  The  room  at  the  Armenian's  was  an 
excellent  one,  up  stairs,  facing  the  street,  fort,  and 
river,  with  a  bow  containing  five  windows,  under 


HENRY    MARTYN.  425 

which  were  cushions.  As  soon  as  the  pacha  was  visi- 
ble, the  chief  Armenian  of  Cars,  to  whom  I  had  a  let- 
ter from  bishop  Nerses,  his  relation,  waited  upon  him 
on  my  business.  On  looking  over  my  letters  of  re- 
commendation from  Sir  Gore  Ouseley,  I  found  there 
was  none  for  Abdalla,  the  pacha  of  Cars  ;  however,  the 
letter  to  the  governor  of  Erivan  secured  all  I  wanted. 
He  sent  to  say  I  was  welcome  ;  that  if  I  liked  to  stay 
a  few  days,  he  should  be  happy  ;  but  that  if  I  was  de- 
termined to  go  on  to-morrow,  the  necessary  horses, 
and  ten  men  for  a  guard,  were  all  ready.  As  no  wish 
was  expressed  of  seeing  me,  I  was  of  course  silent  upon' 
that  subject." 

Sept.  22. — "Promises  were  made  that  every  thing 
should  be  ready  at  sunrise ;  but  it  was  half-past  nine 
before  we  started,  and  no  guard  present  but  the  Tartar. 
He  presently  began  to  show  his  nature,  by  flogging 
the  baggage-horse  with  his  long  whip,  as  one  who  was 
not  disposed  to  allow  loitering ;  but  one  of  the  poor 
beasts  presently  fell  with  his  load,  at  full  length,  over 
a  piece  of  timber  lying  in  the  road.  While  this  was 
setting  to  rights,  the  people  gathered  about  me,  and 
seemed  more  engaged  with  my  Russian  boots  than 
with  any  other  part  of  my  dress.  We  moved  south- 
west, and  after  five  hours  and  a  half  reached  Joula. 
The  Tartar  rode  forward,  and  got  the  coffee-room  at 
the  post-house  ready.  The  coffee-room  has  one  side 
raised  and  covered  with  cushions,  and  on  the  opposite 
side,  cushions  on  the  ground  ;  the  rest  of  the  room  was 
left  with  bare  stones  and  timbers.  As  the  wind  blew 
very  cold  yesterday,  and  I  had  caught  cold,  the  Tar- 
tar ordered  a  great  fire  to  be  made.  In  this  room  I 
36* 


42G  memoir  or 

should  have  been  very  much  to  my  satisfaction,  had 
not  the  Tartar  taken  part  of  the  same  bench  ;  and  many 
other  people  made  use  of  it  as  a  public  room.  They 
were  continually  consulting  my  watch,  to  know  how 
near  the  hour  of  eating  approached.  It  was  evident 
that  the  Tartar  was  the  great  man  here  :  he  took  the 
best  place  for  himself;  a  dinner  of  four  or  five  dishes 
was  laid  before  him.  When  I  asked  for  eggs,  they 
brought  me  rotten  ones  ;  for  butter,  they  brought  me 
ghee.  The  idle  people  of  the  village  came  all  night, 
and  smoked  till  morning.  It  was  very  cold,  there 
being  a  hoar  frost." 

Sept.  23. — "  Our  way  to-day  lay  through  a  forest  of 
firs ;  and  the  variety  of  prospect  it  afforded,  of  hill  and 
dale,  wood  and  lawn,  was  beautiful  and  romantic.  No 
mark  of  human  workmanship  was  any  where  visible 
for  miles,  except  where  some  trees  had  fallen  by  the 
stroke  of  the  woodman.  We  saw,  at  last,  a  few  huts  in 
the  thickest  clumps,  which  was  all  we  saw  of  the 
Curds,  for  fear  of  whom  I  was  attended  by  ten  armed 
horsemen.  We  frightened  a  company  of  villagers 
again  to-day.  They  were  bringing  wood  and  grass 
from  the  forest,  and,  on  seeing  us,  drew  up.  One  of 
our  party  advanced  and  fired :  such  a  rash  piece  of 
sport  I  thought  must  have  been  followed  by  serious 
mischief,  but  all  passed  off  very  well.  With  the  forest 
I  was  delighted;  the  clear  streams  in  the  valleys,  the 
lofty  trees  crowning  the  summit  of  the  hills,  the  smooth 
paths  winding  away  and  losing  themselves  in  the  dark 
woods,  and,  above  all,  the  solitude  that  reigned  through- 
out, composed  a  scene  which  tended  to  harmonize  and 
solemnize  the  mind.  What  displays  of  taste  and  mag- 


HENRY    MARTY  X.  427 

nificence  are  found  occasionally  on  this  ruined  earth: 
Nothing  was  wanting  to-day  but  the  absence  of  the 
Turks;  to  avoid  the  sight  and  sound  of  whom  I  rode 
on.  After  a  ride  of  nine  hours  and  a  half  we  reached 
Mijingerd,  in  the  territory  of  Erzeroom ;  and  having 
resolved  not  to  be  annoyed  in  the  same  way  as  last 
night,  I  left  the  Tartar  in  the  undisturbed  possession 
of  the  post-house,  and  took  up  my  quarters  at  an  Ar- 
menian's, where,  in  the  stable-room,  I  expected  to  be 
left  alone ;  but  a  Georgian  young  man,  on  his  way  from 
Echmiadzin,  going  on  pilgrimage  to  Moosh,  where 
John  the  Baptist  is  supposed  to  be  buried,  presumed  on 
his  assiduous  attentions  to  me,  and  contrived  to  get  a 
place  for  himself  in  the  same  room." 

Sept.  24. — "  A  long  and  sultry  march  over  many  a 
hill  and  vale.  In  the  way,  two  hours  from  the  last 
stage,  is  a  hot  spring:  the  water  fills  a  pool,  having 
four  porches.  The  porches  instantly  reminded  me  of 
Bethesda's  pool :  they  were  semicircular  arches,  about 
six  feet  deep,  intended,  seemingly,  for  shelter  from  the 
sun.  In  them  all  the  party  undressed  and  bathed. 
The  Tartar,  to  enjoy  himself  more  perfectly,  had  his 
calean  to  smoke  while  up  to  his  chin  in  water.  We 
saw  nothing  else  on  the  road  to-day,  but  a  large  and 
opulent  family  of  Armenians,  men,  women,  and  chil- 
dren, in  carts  and  carriages,  returning  from  a  pilgrim- 
age to  Moosh.  After  eleven  hours  and  a  half,  including 
the  hour  spent  at  the  warm  spring,  we  were  overtaken 
by  the  dusk;  so  the  Tartar  brought  us  to  Oghoomra, 
where  I  was  placed  in  an  Armenian's  stable-room." 

Sept.  25. — "  Went  round  to  Hassan  Kulaah   where 
we  changed  horses.  I  was  surprised  to  see  so  strong  a 


42S  MEMOIR   OF 

fort  and  so  large  a  town.  From  thence  we  were  five 
and  a  half  hours  reaching  (he  entrance  of  Erzeroom. 
AU  was  busy  and  moving  in  the  streets  and  shops; 
crowds  passing  along.  Those  who  caught  a  sight  of  us 
were  at  a  loss  to  define  me.  My  Persian  attendants, 
and  the  lower  part  of  my  dress,  made  me  appear  Per- 
sian ;  but  the  rest  of  the  dress  was  new,  for  those  only 
who  had  traveled  knew  it  to  be  European.  They  were 
not  disposed,  I  thought,  to  be  civil ;  but  the  two  per- 
sons who  preceded  us  kept  all  in  order.  I  felt  myself 
in  a  Turkish  town  ;  the  red  cap,  and  stateliness,  and 
rich  dress,  and  variety  of  turbans,  was  realized  as  I 
had  seen  it  in  pictures.  There  are  here  four  thousand 
Armenian  families,  and  but  one  church:  there  are 
scarcely  any  Catholics,  and  they  have  no  church." 

Sept.  29. — "  Left  Erzeroom,  with  a  Tartar  and  his 
son,  at  two  in  the  afternoon.  We  moved  to  a  village, 
where  I  was  attacked  with  fever  and  ague  :  the  Tar- 
tar's son  was  also  taken  ill,  and  obliged  to  return." 

Sept.  30. — "Traveled  first  to  Ash  Kulaah,  where 
we  changed  horses,  and  from  thence  to  Purnugaban, 
where  we  halted  for  the  night.  I  took  nothing  all  day 
but  tea,  and  was  rather  better  ;  but  headache  and  loss 
of  appetite  depressed  my  spirits  ;  yet  my  soul  rests  in 
Him  who  is  '  as  an  anchor  of  the  soul,  sure  and  stead- 
fast,' which,  though  not  seen,  keeps  me  fast." 

Oct.  1. — "  Marched  over  a  mountainous  tract :  we 
were  out  from  seven  in  the  morning  till  eight  at  night. 
After  sitting  a  little  by  the  fire,  I  was  near  fainting 
from  sickness.  My  depression  of  spirits  led  me  to  the 
throne  ol  grace,  as  a  sinful,  abject  worm.  When  I 
thought  of  myself  and  my  transgressions,  I  could  find 


HENRY   BLUBTYN.  429 

no  text  so  cheering  as,  '  My  ways  are  not  as  your 
ways.'  From  the  men  who  accompanied  Sir  William 
Ouseley  to  Constantinople,  I  learned  that  the  plague 
was  raging  at  Constantinople,  and  thousands  dying 
every  day.  One  of  the  Persians  had  died  of  it.  They 
added,  that  the  inhabitants  of  Tocat  were  flying  from 
their  town  from  the  same  cause.  Thus  I  am  passing 
inevitably  into  imminent  danger,  O  Lord,  thy  will  be 
done  !  Living  or  dying,  remember  me." 

Oct.  2. — P  Some  hours  before  day  I  sent  to  tell  the 
Tartar  I  was  ready,  but  Hassan  Aga  was  for  once  rivet- 
ed to  his  bed.  However,  at  eight,  having  got  strong 
horses,  he  set  off  at  a  great  rate,  and  over  the  level 
ground  he  made  us  gallop  as  fast  as  the  horses  would 
go,  to  Chiftlick,  where  we  arrived  at  sunset.  I  was 
lodged,  at  my  request,  in  the  stables  of  the  post-house, 
not  liking  the  scrutinizing  impudence  of  the  fellows 
who  frequent  the  coffee-room.  As  soon  as  it  began  to 
grow  a  little  cold,  the  ague  came  on,  and  then  the  fe- 
ver: after  which  I  had  a  sleep,  which  let  me  know  too 
plainly  the  disorder  of  my  frame.  In  the  night,  Has- 
san sent  to  summon  me  away,  but  I  was  quite  unable 
to  move.  Finding  me  still  in  bed  at  the  dawn,  he  be- 
gan to  storm  furiously  at  my  detaining  him  so  long ; 
but  I  quietly  let  him  spend  his  ire,  ate  my  breakfast 
composedly,  and  set  out  at  eight.  He  seemed  deter- 
mined to  make  up  for  the  delay,  for  we  flew  over  hill 
and  dale  to  Sheheran,  where  he  changed  horses.  From 
thence  we  traveled  all  the  rest  of  the  day  and  all  night; 
it  rained  most  of  the  time.  Soon  after  sunset  the  ague 
came  on  again,  which,  in  my  wet  state,  was  very  try- 
ing ;  I  hardly  knew  how  to  keep  my  life  in  me.  About 


430  MEMOIR   OF 

that  time  there  was  a  village  at  hand  :  but  Hassan  had 
no  mercy.  At  one  in  the  morning  we  found  two  men 
under  a  wain,  with  a  good  fire  ;  they  could  not  keep 
the  rain  out,  but  their  fire  was  acceptable.  I  dried  my 
lower  extremities,  allayed  the  fever  by  drinking  a  good 
deal  of  water,  and  went  on.  We  had  a  little  rain,  but 
the  night  was  pitchy  dark,  so  that  I  could  not  see  the 
road  under  my  horse's  feet.  However.  God  being  mer- 
cifully pleased  to  alleviate  my  bodily  suffering,  I  went 
on  contentedly  to  the  menzil,  where  we  arrived  at 
break  of  day.  After  sleeping  three  or  four  hours,  I 
was  visited  by  an  Armenian  merchant,  for  whom  I  had 
a  letter.  Hassan  was  in  great  fear  of  being  arrested 
here  ;  the  governor  of  the  city  had  vowed  to  make  an 
example  of  him  for  riding  to  death  a  horse  belonging 
to  a  man  of  this  place.  He  begged  that  I  would  shel- 
ter him,  in  case  of  danger;  his  being  claimed  by  an 
Englishman,  he  said,  would  be  a  sufficient  security.  I 
found,  however,  that  I  had  no  occasion  to  interfere. 
He  hurried  me  away  from  this  place  without  delay, 
and  galloped  furiously  towards  a  village,  which,  he 
said,  was  four  hours  distant ;  which  was  all  I  could 
undertake  in  my  present  weak  state  ;  but  village  after 
village  did  he  pass,  till  night  coming  on,  and  no  signs  of 
another,  I  suspected  that  he  was  carrying  me  on  to  the 
menzil ;  so  I  got  off  my  horse,  and  sat  upon  the  ground, 
and  told  him,  'I  neither  could  nor  would  go  any  fur- 
ther.' He  stormed,  but  I  was  immovable;  till,  a  light 
appearing  at  a  distance,  I  mounted  my  horse  and  made 
towards  it,  leaving  him  to  follow  or  not,  as  he  pleased. 
He  brought  in  the  party,  but  would  not  exert  himself 
to  get  a  place  for  me.    They  brought  me  to  an  open 


HENRY    MARTYN.  431 

verandah,  but  Sergius  told  them  I  wanted  a  place  in 
which  to  be  alone.  This  seemed  very  offensive  to 
them.  'And  why  must  he  be  alone?'  they  asked; 
ascribing  this  desire  of  mine  to  pride,  I  suppose. 
Tempted,  at  last,  by  money,  they  brought  me  to  a 
stable-room,  and  Hassan  and  a  number  of  others  plant- 
ed themselves  there  with  me.  My  fever  here  increased 
to  a  violent  degree,  the  heat  in  my  eyes  and  forehead 
was  so  great,  that  the  fire  almost  made  me  frantic.  I 
entreated  that  it  might  be  put  out,  or  that  I  might  be 
carried  out  of  doors.  Neither  was  attended  to :  my 
servant,  who,  from  my  sitting  in  that  strange  way  on 
the  ground,  believed  me  delirious,  was  deaf  to  all  I 
said.  At  last  I  pushed  my  head  in  among  the.  lug- 
gage, and  lodged  it  on  the  damp  ground,  and  slept." 
Oct.  5. — "Preserving  mercy  made  me  see  the  light 
of  another  morning.  The  sleep  had  refreshed  me,  but 
I  was  feeble  and  shaken;  yet  the  merciless  Hassan 
hurried  me  off.  The  menzil,  however,  not  being  dis- 
tant, I  reached  it  without  much  difficulty.  I  expected 
to  have  found  it  another  strong  fort  at  the  end  of  the 
pass;  but  it  is  a  poor  little  village  within  the  jaws  of 
the  mountains.  I  was  pretty  well  lodged,  and  felt  to- 
lerably well  till  a  little  after  sunset,  when  the  ague 
came  on  with  a  violence  I  had  never  before  experi- 
enced; I  felt  as  if  in  a  palsy,  my  teeth  chattering, 
and  my  whole  frame  violently  shaken.  Aga  Hosyti 
and  another  Persian,  on  their  way  here  from  Constan- 
tinople, going  to  Abbas  Mirza,  whom  I  had  just  before 
been  visiting,  came  hastily  to  render  me  assistance,  if 
they  could.  These  Persians  appear  quite  brotherly, 
after  the  Turks.    AYhile  they  pitied  me,  Hassan  sat  in 


4'32  iBEiaota  of 

perfect  indifference,  ruminating  on  the  further  delay 
this  was  likely  to  occasion.  The  cold  fit,  after  conti- 
nuing two  or  three  hours,  was  followed  up  by  a  fever,, 
which  lasted  the  whole  night,  and  prevented  sleep," 
Oct.  6.— ~"  No  horses  being  to  be  had,  I  had  an  un- 
expected repose.  I  sat  in  the  orchard,  and  thought, 
with  sweet  comfort  and  peace,  of  my  God;  in  soli- 
tude, my  company,  my  friend,  and  comforter.  01 
when  shall  time  give  place  to  eternity  I  When  shall 
appear  that  new  heaven  and  new  earth  wherein  dwell- 
eth  righteousness !  There,  there  shallin  no  wise  en- 
ter in  any  thing  that  defileth :  none  of  that  wicked- 
ness which  has  made  men  worse  than  wild  beasts — 
none  of  those  corruptions  which  add  still  more  to 
the  miseries  of  mortality,  shall  be  seen  or  heard  of 
any  more.* 

Scarcely  had  Mr.  Marty  n  breathed  these  aspirations 
after  that  state  of  blissful  purity,  for  whieh  he  had  at- 
tained such  a  measure  of  meetness,  when  he  was 
called  to  exchange  a  condition  of  pain,  weakness,  and 
suffering,  for  that  everlasting  "rest  which  remaineth 
for  the  people  of  God." 

At  Tocat,  on  the  lGth  of  October,  1812,  either  fall- 
ing a  sacrifice  to  the  plague,  which  then  raged  there, 
or  sinking  under  that  disorder  which,  when  he  penned 
his  last  words,  had  so  greatly  reduced  him,  he  surren- 
dered his  soul  into  the  hands  of  his  Redeemer.* 

*  The  American  missionaries  who  have  visited  Tocat,  hnve 
obtained  but  little  information  as  to  the  circumstances  of  lih 
death,  though  any  one  could  tell  the  place  of  his  burial.  -  His 
grave  is  in  the  Armenian  cemetery  around  the  church-  at  th» 


HENRY    MARTY??.  433 

The  peculiar  circumstances,  as  well  as  the  particu- 
lar period  of  his  death,  could  not  fail  of  greatly  aggra- 
vating the  affliction  of  his  friends,  who,  amidst  anxious 
hopes  and  fears,  were  expecting  his  arrival  either  in 
India  or  England.  He  had  not  completed  the  thirty- 
second  year  of  a  life  of  eminent  activity  and  useful- 
ness, and  he  died  while  hastening  towards  his  native 
country,  that,  having  there  repaired  his  shattered 
health,  he  might  again  devote  it  to  the  glory  of  Christ, 
amongst  the  nations  of  the  East.  There  was  some- 
thing, also,  deeply  affecting  in  the  consideration,  that 
where  he  sunk  into  his  grave,  men  were  strangers  to 
him  and  to  his  God.  No  friendly  hand  was  stretched 
out — no  sympathizing  voice  heard  at  that  time,  when 
the  tender  offices  of  Christian  affection  are  so  soothing 
and  so  delightful;  no  human  bosom  was  there,  on 
which  Mr.  Martyn  could  recline  his  head  in  the  hour 

north-eastern  part  of  the  town,  over  which  is  a  monument, 
erected  by  Claudius  James  Rich,  Esq.  English  Resident  at 
Bagdad,  bearing  a  Latin  inscription,  of  which  the  following 
19  a  literal  translation: 

To  Rev.  Henry  Martyn, 

An  English  Clergyman  and  Missionary; 
A  pious,  learned,  and  faithful  servant, 

whom, 

As  he  was  returning  to  his  native  land, 

The  Lord  here  called 

To  his  eternal  joy. 

A.  D.  1812. 

C.  J.  R.  consecrated  this  stone, 

A.  D,  1823. 

37 


434  MEMOIR   OF 

of  languishing.  Paucioribus  lacrymis  composiius  es* 
was  a  sentiment  to  which  the  feelings  of  nature  and 
friendship  responded :  yet  the  painful  reflection  could 
not  be  admitted — In  novissimd  luce  desideravere  ali- 
quid  oculi  tuL]  The  Savior,  doubtless,  was  with  his 
servant  in  his  last  conflict,  and  he  with  Him  the  in- 
stant it  terminated. 

So  richly  was  the  mind  of  Mr.  Martyn  endowed  by 
the  God  of  nature  and  of  grace,  that  at  no  period  could 
his  death  fail  to  be  a  subject  of  common  lamentation 
to  those  who  valued  the  interests  of  the  church  of 
Christ. 

"  He  was  in  our  hearts,"  observed  one  of  his  friends 
in  India,|  ':  we  honored  him  ;  we  loved  him  ;  we  thank- 
ed God  for  him;  we  prayed  for  his  long  continuance 
amongst  us;  we  rejoiced  in  the  good  he  was  doing: 
we  are  sadly  bereaved  !  Where  such  fervent  piety,  and 
extensive  knowledge,  and  vigorous  understanding,  and 
classical  taste,  and  unwearied  application,  were  all 
united,  what  might  not  have  been  expected?  I  cannot 
dwell  upon  the  subject  without  feeling  very  sad.  I  stand 
upon  the  walls  of  Jerusalem,  and  see  the  lamentable 
breach  that  has  been  made  in  them ;  but  it  is  the  Lord ; 
lie  gave,  and  he  hath  taken  away." 

"  Mr.  Martyn,"  remarks  another  of  his  friends,§  in 
describing  more  particularly  his  intellectual  endow- 

*  With  few  tears  thou  art  laid  to  rest. 

t  In  tby  last  moments  thine   eyes   desired   something  on 
which  to  rest. 
{:  The  late  Rev.  Mr.  Thomason. 
§  The  Rev.  C.  J.  Hoare,  Archdeacon  of  Winchester. 


HENRY    MARTYN.  435 

ments,  "  combined  in  himself  certain  valuable  but  dis- 
tinct qualities,  seldom  found  together  in  the  same  indi- 
vidual. The  easy  triumphs  of  a  rapid  genius  over  first 
difficulties  never  left  him  satisfied  with  present  attain- 
ments. His  mind,  which  naturally  ranged  over  a  wide 
field  of  human  knowledge,  lost  nothing  of  depth  in  its 
expansiveness.  He  was  one  of  those  few  persons  whose 
reasoning  faculty  does  not  suffer  from  their  imagina- 
tion, nor  their  imagination  from  their  reasoning  facul- 
ty ;  both,  in  him,  were  fully  exercised,  and  were  of  a 
very  high  order.  His  mathematical  acquisitions  clear- 
ly left  him  without  a  rival  of  his  own  age ;  and  yet,  to 
have  known  only  the  employments  of  his  more  free 
and  unfettered  moments,  would  have  led  to  the  con- 
clusion that  poetry  and  the  classics  were  his  predomi- 
nant passion." 

But  the  radiance  of  these  talents,  excellent  as  they 
were,  was  lost  in  the  brightness  of  those  Christian 
graces  by  which  he  "shone  as  a  light  in  the  world, 
holding  forth  the  word  of  life."  In  his  faith  there  was 
a  singular,  a  child-like  simplicity  :  great,  consequently, 
was  its  energy,  both  in  obeying  Christ,  and  in  suffer- 
ing for  his  name's  sake  !  By  this  he  could  behold  blos- 
soms upon  the  rod,  even  when  it  was  apparently  dead  ; 
and  in  those  events  which,  like  the  captain  of  the  Lord's 
host  seen  by  Joshua,  presented  at  first  a  hostile  aspect, 
lie  could  discern  a  favorable  and  a  friendly  counte- 
nance. Having  listened  to  that  tender  and  overwhelm- 
ing interrogation  of  his  Savior,  "  Lovest  thou  me?" 
his  love  was  fervently  exercised  towards  God  and  man, 
at  all  times,  and  in  all  places  !  For  it  was  not  like  the 
land-spring,  which   runs  violently  for  a  season,  and 


436  MEMOIR    OF 

then  ceases;  but  resembled  the  fountain  which  flows 
with  a  perennial  stream  from  the  recesses  of  the  rock. 
His  fear  of  God,  and  tenderness  of  conscience,  and 
watchfulness  over  his  own  heart,  could  scarcely  be 
surpassed  in  this  state  of  sinful  infirmity.  But  it  was 
his  humility  that  was  most  remarkable  :  this  might  be 
considered  as  the  warp  of  which  the  entire  texture  ok 
his  piety  was  composed ;  and  with  this  his  other  Chris- 
tian graces  were  so  intimately  blended  as  to  beautify 
and  adorn  his  whole  demeanor.  It  was,  in  truth,  the 
accordance  and  consent  of  various  Christian  attain- 
ments in  Mr.  Marty n,  which  were  so  striking.  The 
symmetry  of  his  stature  in  Christ  was  as  surprising  as 
its  height.  That  communion  which  he  held  with  his 
God,  and  which  caused  his  face  to  shine,  was  ever 
chastened,  like  the  patriarchs  of  old,  by  the  most  aw- 
ful reverence.  The  nearer  the  access  with  which  he 
was  favored,  the  more  deeply  did  he  feel  that  he  was 
but  "  sinful  dust  and  ashes."  No  discordance  could  he 
discover  between  peace  and  penitence ;  no  opposition 
between  joy  in  God,  and  utter  abasement  before  him ; 
and  truly  in  this,  as  in  every  other  respect,  had  he 
thoroughly  imbibed  the  spirit  of  his  own  church  ; 
which,  in  the  midst  of  one  of  her  sublimest  hymns  of 
praise,  leads  her  members  to  prostrate  themselves  be- 
fore their  Redeemer  in  these  words  of  humiliation, 
"  Thou  that  takest  away  the  sins  of  the  world,  have 
mercy  upon  us." 

To  be  zealous  without  love ;  or  to  have  that  which 
is  miscalled  charity,  without  decision  of  character,  is 
neither  difficult  nor  uncommon.  Mr.  Martyn's  zeal 
was  tempered  with  love,  and  his  love  invigorated  by 


HENRY    MARTYN.  437 

zeal.  He  combined,  also,  ardor  with  prudence ;  gra- 
vity with  cheerfulness;  abstraction  from  the  world 
with  an  enjoyment  of  its  lawful  gratifications.  His  ex- 
treme tenderness  of  conscience  was  devoid  of  scrupu- 
losity ;  his  activity  in  good  works  was  joined  to  ha- 
bits of  serious  contemplation;  his  religious  affections, 
which  were  highly  spiritualized,  exceeded  not  the  li- 
mits of  the  most  cautious  sobriety,  and  were  so  far 
from  impairing  his  natural  affections,  that  they  raised 
and  purified  them. 

Many  sincere  servants  of  Christ  labor  to  attain 
heaven,  but  possess  notany  joyful  hope  of  reaching  it; 
many  vain  hypocrites  are  confident  of  their  salvation, 
without  striving  to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate.  With 
the  apostle,  Mr.  Martyn  could  say,  "  We  are  always 
confident ;  wherefore,  we  labor,"  &c.  Together  with 
an  assurance  of  his  final  and  everlasting  felicity,  he 
had  a  dread  of  declension,  and  a  fear  of  "losing  the 
things  he  had  wrought."  He  knew  that  the  way  to 
heaven  was  narrow,  from  the  entrance  to  the  end  of 
it ;  but  he  was  persuaded  that  Christ  was  with  him, 
walking  in  the  way,  and  that  he  would  never  leave 
him  nor  forsake  him. 

As  these  extraordinary,  and  seemingly  contradic- 
tory qualities,  were  not  imparted  to  him  but  by  the 
Spirit  of  God,  so  they  were  not  strengthened  and  ma- 
tured but  in  the  diligent  use  of  the  ordinary  means  of 
grace.  Prayer  and  the  Holy  Scriptures  were  those 
wells  of  salvation  out  of  which  he  drew  daily  the 
living  water.  Truly  did  he  "pray  always,  with  all 
prayer  and  supplication  in  the  Spirit,  and  watch 
thereunto  with  all  perseverance."  Being  "  transformed 


438  MEMOIR   OF 

by  the  renewing  of  his  mind,"  he  was  also  ever  "  pro- 
ving what  was  that  good  and  acceptable  and  perfect 
will  of  God." 

The  Sabbath,  that  sacred  portion  of  time  set  apart 
for  holy  purposes  in  paradise  itself,  was  so  employed 
by  him  as  to  prove  frequently  a  paradise  to  his  soul 
on  earth ;  and  as  certainly  prepared  him  for  an  end- 
less state  of  spiritual  enjoyment  hereafter. 

By  "  daily  weighing  the  Scriptures,"  with  prayer,  he 
"  waxed  riper  and  riper  in  his  ministry,"  in  the  execu- 
tion of  which  divine  office  there  was  in  him  an  asto- 
nishing determination  of  soul  for  the  glory  of  his  Sa- 
vior, who  "  allowed  him  to  be  put  in  trust  with  the 
Gospel."  Of  the  exceeding  privileges  of  his  holy  fanc- 
tion,  and  of  its  awful  responsibility,  he  had  the  most 
vivid  impression;  and  such  was  his  jealousy  of  omit- 
ting any  duty  connected  with  it,  that  he  deemed  the 
work  of  translating  the  Scriptures  themselves  no  justi- 
fiable plea  for  inattention  to  any  of  its  more  immediate 
and  direct  engagements.  Reviewing  frequently  his 
ordination  vows,  in  that  affecting  service  in  which  they 
were  originally  made,  he  became  more  and  more  anx- 
ious to  promote  the  honor  of  his  Redeemer,  by  preach- 
ing his  Gospel.  This,  indeed,  was  the  great  end  for 
which  existence  seemed  desirable  in  his  eyes  j  to  effect 
which  he  spent  much  time  in  preparing  his  discourses 
for  the  pulpit;  investigating  the  subject  before  him 
with  profound  meditation,  and  perpetual  supplication 
to  the  Father  of  Lights.  Utilis  lectio — utilis  eruditio 
— scd  magis  unctlo  neceesaria,  quippe  quaz  docet  de 
omnibus* — were  the  sentiments  of  his  heart.    When, 

*  St.  Bernard. — Readies:  is  useful,  learning,  is  useful,  but 


HENRY    MARTY*,  439 

therefore,  he  stood  up  and  addressed  his  hearers  on  the 
entire  depravity  of  man — on  the  justification  of  the 
soul  by  faith  in  Jesus  Christ — on  the  regenerating  and 
progressively  sanctifying  influences  of  the  Spirit; 
when  "knowing  the  terrors  of  the  Lord,"  he  persuaded 
them  to  accept  the  offers  of  salvation  ;  or  when  he  be- 
sought them,  by  the  mercies  of  God,  to  present  their 
bodies  to  Him,  as  a  living  sacrifice ;  he  spake  "  with 
uncorruptness,  gravity,  sincerity,  with  sound  words 
that  could  not  be  condemned  ;"  and  none  who  knew 
their  souls  to  be  guilty,  helpless,  accountable,  immor- 
tal, could  listen  to  his  preaching  unmoved.  In  the 
delivery  of  his  discourses,  his  natural  manner  was  not 
good ;  there  being  a  defect  in  his  enunciation  ;  this, 
however,  was  more  than  compensated  by  the  solemni- 
ty, affection,  and  earnestness  of  his  address.  It  should 
be  added,  also,  that  as  practical  subjects  were  discussed 
by  him  with  constant  reference  to  the  peculiar  doc- 
trines of  the  Gospel,  so  likewise  all  doctrinal  points 
were  declared  practically,  with  a  view  to  self-applica- 
tion rather  than  to  disquisition.  No  one,  as  it  regarded 
all  doctrine,  could  enter  more  completely  into  the  spirit 
of  those  words,  both  for  himself  and  others: — Malo 
sent  ire  compunctionem  qudm  scire  ejus  definitionem.* 

With  an  intense  anxiety  to  save  souls,  Mr.  Martyn 
had  an  implicit  reliance  on  that  grace  which  alone  can 
make  men  wise  unto  salvation.  He  was  deeply  con- 
unction  is  far  more  necessary,  because  it  gives  instruction  in 
regard  to  all  points. 

*  I  had  rather  feel  compunction,  than   know  how  to  de 
fine  it. 


440  MEMOIR   OF 

scious  that  it  is  "  God  that  giveth  the  increase;"  and 
when  he  did  not  see,  or  thought  he  did  not  see,  that 
increase,  he  meekly  submitted  to  the  divine  will,  and 
patiently  continued  in  well  doing.  At  such  times,  also, 
more  particularly  would  he  turn,  with  joyful  thank- 
fulness, to  the  contemplation  of  the  successful  labors 
of  his  brethren  in  the  ministry ;  for  he  had  no  mean 
and  unholy  envy  respecting  them ;  nor  had  he  what  is 
so  often  allied  to  it,  an  arrogant  or  domineering  tem- 
per towards  his  flock.  His  ambition  was  to  be  a  helper 
of  their  joy ;  he  had  no  desire  to  have  dominion  over 
their  faith.  Too  much  had  he  of  that  beautiful  part  of 
a  minister's  character,  a  spirit  which  would  sympa- 
thize with  the  poor  and  afflicted  amongst  his  people, 
to  court  the  appellation  of  Rabbi,  or  dogmatize  with 
the  air  of  a  master  in  Israel.  He  was  one  of  those  little 
ones,  of  whom  Christ  affirms,  that  whosoever  receiveth 
them,  receiveth  him.  To  no  one,  indeed,  would  he 
give  occasion  to  despise  him ;  but  all  the  dignity  to 
which  he  aspired  was  to  be  their  servant  among  whom 
he  labored  for  Jesus'  sake.  "  A  more  perfect  charac- 
ter," says  Rev.  Dr.  Corrie,  who  bore  the  burden  and 
heat  of  the  day  with  him  in  India,  "  I  never  met  with, 
nor  expect  to  see  on  earth.  During  the  four  years  we 
were  fellow-laborers  in  this  country,  I  had  no  less  than 
six  opportunities  of  enjoying  his  company;  and  every 
opportunity  only  increased  my  love  and  veneration 
for  him." 

With  respect  to  his  labors,  his  own  "  works  praise 
him  in  the  gates,"  far  above  all  human  commendation. 

By  him,  and  by  his  means,  part  of  the  Liturgy  of  the 
Church  of  England,  the  Parables  and  the  whole  of  the 


HENRY    MARTYN.  441 

New  Testament,  were  translated  into  Hindoostanee  a 
language  spoken  from  Delhi  to  Cape  Comorin,  and  in- 
telligible to  many  millions  of  immortal  souls.  By  him, 
and  by  his  means,  also,  the  Psalms  of  David  and  the 
New  Testament  were  rendered  into  Persian,  the  ver- 
nacular language  of  two  hundred  thousand  who  bear 
the  Christian  name,  and  known  over  one  fourth  of  the 
habitable  globe.  By  him,  also,  the  imposture  of  the 
prophet  of  Mecca  was  boldly  exposed,  and  the  truths 
of  Christianity  openly  vindicated  in  the  very  heart  and 
center  of  a  Mohammedan  empire. 

If  success  be  demanded,  it  is  replied,  that  this  is  not 
the  inquiry  with  Him  "  of  whom  are  all  things,"  either 
in  this  world  or  in  that  which  is  to  come.  With  Him 
the  question  is  this :  What  has  been  aimed  at  7  what 
has  been  intended  in  singleness  of  heart  ? 

God,  however,  has  not  left  Mr.  Martyn  without  wit- 
ness in  the  hearts  of  those  who  heard  him  in  Europe 
and  in  Asia.  Above  forty  of  the  Hindoos  have  profess- 
ed faith  in  Christ;  all  of  whom,  with  the  exception  of 
a  single  individual,  were  converted  by  the  instrumen- 
tality of  one  man,*  who  was  himself  the  fruit  of  Mr. 
Martyn's  ministry  at  Cawnpore.  At  Shiraz  a  sensa- 
tion has  been  excited  winch  it  is  trusted  will  not 
readily  subside ;  and  some  Mohammedans  of  conse- 
quence there  have  declared  their  conviction  of  the 
truth  of  Christianity — a  conviction  which  Mr.  Martyn 
was  the  means  of  imparting  to  their  minds.  But  when 
it  is  considered  that  the  Persian  and  Hindoostanee 
Scriptures  are  in  wide  and  extensive  circulation,  who 

•  Abdool  Messeeh. 


442  MEMOIR   OF 

can  ascertain  the  consequences  which  may  have  al- 
ready followed,  or  foresee  what  may  hereafter  accrue 
from  their  dispersion?  Jn  this  respect  it  is  not  per- 
haps too  much  to  apply  to  Mr.  Martyn  those  words, 
which  once  had  an  impious  application : 

"  Ex  quo  nunc  etiam  per  magnos  didita  gentes, 
"Dulcia  permulcent  animos  solatia  vitse."— Lucret.* 

Nor  is  this  example  which  he  has  left  behind  him, 
to  be  laid  out  of  our  account  in  estimating  the  effects 
of  his  holy  and  devoted  life.  He  doubtless  forsook  all 
for  Christ ;  he  loved  not  his  life  unto  the  death.  He 
followed  the  steps  of  Zeigenbalg  in  the  old  world,  and 
of  Brainerd  in  the  new  ;  and  whilst  he  walks  with 
them  in  white — for  he  is  worthy — he  speaks,  by  his 
example,  to  us,  who  are  still  on  our  warfare  and  pil- 
grimage upon  earth.  For  surely  as  long  as  the  church, 
of  which  he  was  so  great  an  ornament,  shall  live,  as 
long  as  India  shall  prize  that  which  is  more  precious 
to  her  than  all  her  gems  and  gold — the  name  of  the 
subject  of  this  memoir,  as  a  translator  of  the  Scriptures 
and  of  the  Liturgy,  will  not  wholly  be  forgotten ;  and 
whilst  some  shall  delight  to  gaze  upon  the  splendid 
sepulcher  of  Xavier,  and  others  choose  rather  to  pon- 
der over  the  granite  stone  which  covers  all  that  was 
mortal  of  Swartz;  there  will  not  be  wanting  those 
who  will  think  of  the  humble  and  unfrequented  grave 
of  Henry  Martyn,  and  be  led  to  imitate  those  works 
of  mercy  which  have  followed  him  into  the  world  of 
light  and  love. 

*  From  whom  even  now  the  sweet  solaces  of  life,  diffused 
through  mighty  nations,  soothe  the  passions  of  men. 


HEMIY    MARTY  X.  443 

The  following  testimony  of  an  intelligent  Persian  at  Shiraz, 
who  gave  evidence  of  real  piety,  appeared  in  the  Asiatic 
Journal  for  March,  1830. 

"  In  the  year  1223  (of  the  Hegira)  there  came  to  this  city 
an  Englishman,  who  taught  the  religion  of  Christ  with  a 
boldness  hitherto  unparalleled  in  Persia,  in  the  midst  of 
much  scorn  and  11-treatment  from  our  Moollahs,  as  well  as 
the  rabble.  He  was  a  beardless  youth,  and  evidently  enfeebled 
by  disease.  He  dwelt  among  us  for  more  than  a  year.  I 
was  then  a  decided  enemy  to  Infidels,  as  the  Christians  are 
termed  by  the  followers  of  Mohammed ;  and  I  visited  this 
teacher  of  the  despised  sect  with  the  declared  object  of 
treating  him  with  scorn,  and  exposing  his  doctrines  to  con- 
tempt. Although  I  persevered  for  some  time  in  this  beha- 
vior to  him,  I  found  that  every  interview  not  only  increas- 
ed my  respect  for  the  individual,  but  diminished  my  confi- 
dence in  the  faith  in  which  I  was  educated.  His  extreme 
forbearance  toward  the  violence  of  his  opponents,  the  calm 
and  yet  convincing  manner  in  which  he  exposed  the  falla- 
cies and  sophistries  by  which  he  was  assailed — for  he  spoke 
Persian  excellently — gradually  inclined  me  to  listen  to  his 
arguments,  to  inquire  dispassionately  into  the  subject  of 
them,  and  finally  to  read  a  Tract  which  he  had  written  in 
reply  to  a  defence  of  Isiamism  by  our  chief  Moollahs.  Need 
I  detain  you  longer  7  The  result  of  my  examination  was  a 
conviction  that  the  young  disputant  was  right.  Shame,  or 
rather  fear,  withheld  me  from  avowing  this  opinion.  I  even 
avoided  the  society  of  the  Christian  teacher,  though  he  re- 
mained in  the  city  so  long.  Just  before  he  quitted  Shiraz, 
1  could  not  refrain  from  paying  him  a  farewell  visit.  Our 
conversation — the  memory  of  it  will  never  fade  from  the 
tablet  of  my  mind — sealed  my  conversion.  He  gave  me  a 
book— it  has  ever  been  my  constant  companion — the  study 


444  MEMOIR   OF    HENRY    MAR'j'YN. 

of  it  has  formed  ray  most  delightful  occupation—its  con- 
tents have  often  consoled  me." 

Upon  this  (says  the  English  gentleman  to  whom  the 
above  was  communicated)  he  put  into  my  hands  a  copy  of  the 
New  Testament  in  Persian.  On  one  of  the  blank  leaves 
was  written — " '  There  is  joy  in  heaven  over  one  sinner  thai 
repenteth ' — Henry  Martyn." 


TUB  END. 


